HR 1464 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require Federal agencies to collaborate in the development of freely-available open source educational materials in college-level physics, chemistry, and math, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

March 12, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. FOSTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To require Federal agencies to collaborate in the development of freely-available open source educational materials in college-level physics, chemistry, and math, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Learning Opportunities With Creation of Open Source Textbooks (LOW COST) Act of 2009’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) The College Board reported that for the 2007 through 2008 academic years each student spent an estimated $805 to $1,229 on college books and supplies depending on the type of institution of higher education a student attended.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The gross margin on new college textbooks is currently 22.7 percent according to the National Association of College Stores.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) In a recent study, the Government Accountability Office found that college textbook prices have risen at twice the rate of annual inflation over the last two decades.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) An open source material project that would make high quality educational materials freely available to the general public would drop college textbook costs and increase accessibility to such education materials.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) College-level open source course work materials in math, physics, and chemistry represent a high-priority first step in this area.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) The scientific and technical workforce at Federal agencies, national laboratories, and federally supported university-based research programs could make a valuable contribution to this effort.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) A Federal oversight role in the creation and maintenance of standard, publicly vetted textbooks is desirable to ensure that intellectual property is respected and that public standards for quality, educational effectiveness, and scientific accuracy are maintained.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. OPEN SOURCE MATERIAL REQUIREMENT FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES.

(a) In General- Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the head of each agency that expends more than $10,000,000 in a fiscal year on scientific education and outreach shall use at least 2 percent of such funds for the collaboration on the development and implementation of open source materials as an educational outreach effort in accordance with subsection (b).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Requirements- The head of each agency described in subsection (a) shall, under the joint guidance of the Director of the National Science Foundation and the Secretary of Energy, collaborate with the heads of any of the agencies described in such subsection or any federally supported laboratory or university-based research program to develop, implement, and establish procedures for checking the veracity, accuracy, and educational effectiveness of open source materials that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) contain, at minimum, a comprehensive set of textbooks or other educational materials covering topics in college-level physics, chemistry, or math;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) are posted on the Federal Open Source Material Website;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) are updated prior to each academic year with the latest research and information on the topics covered in the textbooks or other educational materials available on the Federal Open Source Material Website; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) are free of copyright violations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) Grants Authorized- From the amounts appropriated under subsection (d), the Director and the Secretary shall jointly award grants to eligible entities to produce open source materials in accordance with subsection (c).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Application- To receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Director and the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director and Secretary may require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Uses of Grant- An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use such funds--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) to develop and implement open source materials that contain educational materials covering topics in college-level physics, chemistry, or math; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) to evaluate the open sources materials produced with the grant funds awarded under this section and to submit a report containing such evaluation to the Director and Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 to carry out this section for fiscal year 2010 and such sums as necessary for each succeeding fiscal year.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. REGULATIONS.

The Director and the Secretary shall jointly prescribe regulations necessary to implement this Act, including redistribution and attribution standards for open source materials produced under this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) DIRECTOR- The term ‘Director’ means the Director of the National Science Foundation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- The term ‘eligible entity’ means an institution of higher education, nonprofit or for-profit organization, Federal agency, or any other organization that produces the open source materials described in section 4(c).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) FEDERAL OPEN SOURCE MATERIAL WEBSITE- The phrase ‘Federal Open Source Material Website’ means the website where the head of each agency described in section 3 shall post the open source materials pursuant to such section, which shall be made available free of charge to, and may be downloaded, redistributed, changed, revised or otherwise altered by, any member of the general public.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION- The term ‘institution of higher education’ means an institution of higher education as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) OPEN SOURCE MATERIALS- The term ‘open source materials’ means materials that are posted on a website that is available free of charge to, and may be downloaded, redistributed changed, revised or otherwise altered by, any member of the general public.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) SECRETARY- The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink