Senator’s Open Textbook Pilot program reduces textbook costs for Arizona students and families
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced that her Open Textbook Pilot program was included in this year’s bipartisan budget law, providing an investment of $11 million. The program, which reduces textbook costs for Arizona students, is based on Sinema’s Affordable College Textbook Act.
“We’re proud our Open Textbook Pilot program was included in this year’s bipartisan budget law because high textbook costs shouldn’t hold back Arizona students from pursuing their dreams,” said Sinema.
Sinema’s Affordable College Textbook Act expands access to open education resources, reducing textbook costs for Arizona students. This legislation ensures Arizona students have access to affordable education materials and resources by decreasing costs to students and families.
In June, Sinema announced that Yavapai Community College was awarded $801,218 as a result of her Open Textbooks Pilot program. Sinema also secured $2.5 million for Arizona State University in 2019 to reduce textbook costs for Arizona students and families. In the 2020 end-of-year budget bills, Sinema secured $7 million in funding for the Open Textbooks Pilot program. Sinema secured $11 million this year to lower the textbook costs on Arizona students and their families.
Sinema relied on loans and scholarships to afford college and is committed to ensuring current and future generations have quality educational opportunities. While serving in the U.S. House, Sinema worked across party lines to restore year-round Pell Grant eligibility, so that Arizona students have more flexibility in using a Pell award. She also voted for bipartisan budgets that delivered increases in Pell Grant funding.