§ 23-4.5-101. Legislative Declaration

1. The general assembly finds that:
   1. Student expenditures on textbooks and other educational materials represent a significant portion of student educational costs, adding up to, on average, an additional twenty-two percent above the cost of tuition and fees for a first-year community college student. Research concerning the use of open educational resources indicates the use of these resources results in significant savings for students.
   2. Research also indicates that, because of the cost of textbooks and other materials, students often do not buy textbooks or course materials, resulting in poor academic performance, including failing course grades. Other studies indicate that students take fewer courses or drop courses because of the cost of textbooks and materials, extending the time to graduation.
   3. Several institutions of higher education across the country have begun participating in open educational resources consortia that make textbooks, course activities, and readings available to students online for no cost, resulting in significant student savings. States and institutions are also beginning to offer entire courses, sections, and even degrees that are branded as having zero textbook costs.
2. The general assembly finds, therefore, that it is appropriate to establish the Colorado open educational resources council to recommend statewide policies concerning promoting the use of open educational resources, facilitate knowledge sharing and professional development to increase and support the statewide use of open educational resources, and implement a statewide grant program for public institutions of higher education, faculty, and staff to create and expand the use of open educational resources.
3. 1. The general assembly finds that, since the open educational resources council was established in 2018 and the council began recommending grant recipients:
      1. Open educational resources practices and philosophy have expanded to public institutions throughout the state and educators have adopted innovative methods of teaching and reinvigorating curricula; and
      2. The number of courses that use open educational resources has significantly increased, saving students almost four million dollars in textbook costs, thereby improving student equity in higher education and leading to increased student success.
   2. The general assembly finds, therefore, that it is in the best interests of the state to continue and expand the open educational resources grant program to support the continued creation and use of open educational resources for individual courses and to support the creation and replication of zero-textbook-cost degree programs.

Source: L. 2018: Entire article added, (HB 18-1331), ch. 186, p. 1252, § 1, effective April 30. L. 2021: (3) added, (SB 21-215), ch. 97, p. 387, § 1, effective May 5.