Affordable College Textbook Act
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Overview
This bill, the Affordable College Textbook Act, aims to reduce the cost of college textbooks for students by promoting the use of open educational resources. It establishes a grant program for colleges and universities to adopt and create open textbooks, which are freely available educational materials. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to report on textbook costs and the factors contributing to their rising prices, and amends existing law to clarify the definition of ‘open educational resource’ and require institutions to disclose textbook information to students.
Key provisions
- Creates a grant program for higher education institutions to use open textbooks.
- Directs the Department of Education to administer the grant program.
- Requires the Government Accountability Office to report on textbook costs and contributing factors within three years.
- Defines ‘open educational resource’ and ‘open textbook’ for legal purposes.
- Amends the Higher Education Act to require institutions to disclose textbook information to students, including whether materials are open educational resources.
- Establishes a process for institutions to assist college bookstores in obtaining textbook information.
- Requires grant recipients to license open textbooks under a non-exclusive, royalty-free license.
- Mandates the availability of open textbooks digitally and in accessible formats.
Who is affected
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