VCCS Virginia’s Community Colleges Receive Grant to Cut Textbook Costs

"More community college students in Virginia soon may be able to earn a degree with little to no textbook costs, thanks to a grant to Virginia’s Community Colleges from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The $200,000 grant will be used to fund a pilot program at 15 of Virginia’s Community Colleges. The project would offer textbook-free credentials to students enrolled in designated programs.  Based in part on Tidewater Community College’s immensely successful all-Open Educational Resources (OER) initiative, or 'Z-Degree' program, the grant-funded pilot is expected to save some 50,000 students over $5 million in its first year by using high-quality open textbooks and other OER materials, which are freely accessible and openly-licensed ..."