Senator’s Affordable College Textbook Act empowers colleges to utilize open-source textbooks and other free materials to cut textbook costs for students
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema introduced the Affordable College Textbook Act – legislation saving Arizona students and their families money on college textbooks by helping colleges utilize more open-source and free online materials.
“Our new bill cuts college textbook costs by expanding the use of open-source materials in classrooms across Arizona. It’s a commonsense approach that will save students money,” said Sinema.
Open educational resources are learning, teaching, and research materials that are legally open for the free use of the public. Sinema’s legislation creates a competitive grant program that helps colleges and universities expand use of these resources in classes, reducing mandatory textbook costs for students. According to the College Board, students at public, four-year universities in the United States spent an average of $1,240 a year on textbooks and supplies in the 2022-23 academic year.
Sinema relied on loans and scholarships to afford college and she continues working to ensure Arizonans have the quality education they choose.
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