Use Of Open Educational Resources In Higher Education

The act makes several changes to the existing statute concerning open educational resources, including:

• Expanding the open educational resources grant program (grant program) to provide grants to develop, implement, and replicate entire zero-textbook-cost degree programs;
• Moving preparation of the annual grant program report from the open educational resources council (council) to the department of higher education (department); and
• Extending the repeal date for the council and the grant program for 5 years.

The statutes existing before passage of the act require public institutions of higher education, beginning in the fall of 2021, to inform students before registration of which courses use open educational resources. The act directs the commission on higher education to adopt guidelines to require public institutions of higher education, beginning no later than the fall of 2025, to also inform students at the point of registration concerning those courses that use open educational resources.

The act directs the department to review the open educational resources policies adopted across the state and identify and determine the efficacy of policies that expand the use and promote the sustainability of open educational resources. The department must include this information in the annual grant program report.

For the 2021-22 fiscal year, the act appropriates $1,108,200 to the department to use for open educational resource initiatives and preparation of the annual grant program report.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)