| For Immediate Release September 26, 2018 |
Contact Nicole Allen, [email protected], 202-750-1637 |
SPARC Statement on Renewal of $5 Million Open Textbook Pilot in H.R. 6157
Washington, September 26, 2018 — The Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act of 2019 passed this evening by Congress includes a second year of funding for the $5 million Open Textbook Pilot first funded in the Fiscal Year 2018 omnibus.
Statement by SPARC’s Director of Open Education Nicole Allen:
“In renewing Open Textbook Pilot funding for a second year, Congress sends a resounding message that reigning in college textbook costs is a national priority, and that ‘open’ is a key enabling strategy to making sure all Americans have the opportunity to pursue higher education. The cost of textbooks is an equity issue, plain and simple. Students can’t learn from books they can’t afford, and underserved students are hardest hit. Now totaling $10 million over two years, this federal investment will support the expansion of open educational resources that are freely available to all students, taking us closer to a future where everyone can afford the materials they need to learn.”
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SPARC, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, is a global coalition committed to making Open the default for research and education. SPARC empowers people to solve big problems and make new discoveries through the adoption of policies and practices that advance Open Access, Open Data, and Open Education. Learn more at sparcopen.org.