OLYMPIA – The Washington State Senate recently passed House Bill 1561 on a unanimous vote of 49-0. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, would expand the development of open educational resources in public four-year institutions and the state’s K-12 education system.
The costs associated with higher education often serve as a barrier for students. Textbooks can be a financial burden that some cannot afford. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2006 and 2016, consumer prices for textbooks increased 88 percent.
Open educational resources are open-source instructional materials, which are free and available for use by anyone. The use of open educational resources in Washington’s community and technical colleges have created a 20 percent savings for students.
House Bill 1561 looks to expand open educational resources by establishing grant programs at public four-year institutions and reauthorizing programs in K-12 schools. At four-year institutions, the grant program can include an on-campus advocate to encourage resource development. The bill also requires the Washington Student Achievement Council to conduct outreach to other states to identify interest in a multistate open educational resource network. In addition, the bill funds a study on the costs of textbooks and course materials in Washington.
“The rising costs of higher education are really hitting families and students hard. It is making the dream of a college degree less attainable every day,” said Frame. “If we’re going to build an economy that works for everyone, we have to make college more affordable and accessible, including the textbooks and course materials students need to succeed.”
House Bill 1561 will now return to the House for concurrence on amendments approved in the Senate. If accepted, the bill will head to Governor Inslee for his consideration.
