Affordable College Textbook Act Reintroduced in U.S. Congress - SPARC

"Federal lawmakers have renewed efforts to tackle the rising cost of textbooks by reintroducing the Affordable College Textbook Act, a bill designed to make higher education more affordable by expanding the use of open educational resources (OER). OER are course materials that can be accessed, shared, and modified at no cost, offering students and educators a more affordable and flexible alternative to expensive, traditional textbooks. By strengthening federal price transparency requirements and funding the creation of open textbooks, the bill seeks to provide students and educators with high-quality learning materials without financial barriers.

The Affordable College Textbook Act was introduced today in the U.S. Senate by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Ron Wyden (D-OR), with companion legislation sponsored by Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO) expected in the U.S. House. Although the bill’s prospects are tied to the broader Higher Education Act reauthorization process, its sponsors have worked to deliver immediate results for students by securing annual funding for the Open Textbook Pilot grant program. Distributed by the U.S. Department of Education, the Open Textbook Pilot has funded 28 projects since 2018, which are projected to save students an estimated $250 million—a substantial return on federal investment...."