HR 4575 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize grants for the creation, update, or adaption of open textbooks, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

February 2, 2010CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. WU introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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 authorize grants for the creation, update, or adaption of open textbooks, 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 ‘Open College Textbook Act of 2010’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) The growth of the Internet has enabled the creation and sharing of open content, including open educational resources.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The President has proposed a new, significant Federal investment in the creation of online open-source courses for community colleges that will make learning more accessible, adaptable, and affordable for students.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) The President has challenged the United States with a goal of having the highest college graduation rate in the world by 2020.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) More than 80 percent of the 23,000,000 jobs that will be created in the next 10 years will require postsecondary education, but only 36 percent of all 18- to 24-year-olds are currently enrolled in postsecondary education.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) The high cost of college textbooks continues to be a barrier for many students in achieving higher education, and according to the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, 200,000 qualified students fail to enroll in college each year due to cost.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) The College Board reported that for the 2007-2008 academic year an average student spent an estimated $805 to $1,229 on college books and supplies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) Making high quality open textbooks freely available to the general public could significantly lower college textbook costs and increase accessibility to such education materials.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) Open textbooks can improve learning and teaching by creating course materials that are more flexible, adaptable, and accessible through the use of technology.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





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





(2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION- The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) OPEN LICENSE- The term ‘open license’ means an irrevocable intellectual property license that grants the public the right to access, customize, and distribute a copyrighted material.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) OPEN TEXTBOOK- The term ‘open textbook’ means a textbook or set of course materials in electronic format designed for use in a college course at an institution of higher education that is licensed under an open license.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) SECRETARY- The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Education.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) Grants Authorized- From the amounts appropriated under subsection (i), the Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to carry out the activities described in this section, including creating, updating, or adapting open textbooks. The Secretary shall award grants in a manner that will result in the creation of a comprehensive slate of high quality course materials for introductory courses in a variety of subject areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Eligible Entity- In this section, the term ‘eligible entity’ means--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) an institution of higher education;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) a professor or group of professors at an institution of higher education; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) a nonprofit or for-profit organization that produces open textbooks.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Duration- Grants awarded under this section shall be 1 year in duration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Applications-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Each eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) CONTENTS- Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall include a description of the project to be completed with grant funds and--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) a plan for quality review and review of accuracy of content;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) a plan for access to ensure the widest possible availability of the digital version of the open textbook;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) a plan for distribution and adoption of the open textbook to ensure the widest possible adoption of the open textbook in postsecondary courses, including, where applicable, a marketing plan or a plan to partner with for-profit or nonprofit organizations to assist in marketing and distribution; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) a plan for tracking and reporting formal adoptions of the open textbook within postsecondary institutions, including an estimate of the number of students impacted by the adoptions.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Special Consideration- In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give special consideration to applications that demonstrate the greatest potential to produce--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the highest quality and most marketable open textbooks;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) open textbooks that correspond to the highest enrollment courses at institutions of higher education;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) open textbooks that are easily utilized by faculty members at institutions of higher education; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) open textbooks created in partnership with for-profit or nonprofit organizations to assist in marketing and distribution.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Uses of Grants-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) OPEN TEXTBOOKS- An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) create a new open textbook for use in postsecondary coursework;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) update an open textbook for use in postsecondary coursework; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) adapt a textbook into an open format for use in postsecondary coursework.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) LICENSE- An open textbook created, updated, or adapted under paragraph (1) shall be licensed through an open license.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) ACCESSIBILITY- The full and complete digital content of each open textbook created, updated, or adapted under paragraph (1) shall be--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) posted on an easily accessible and interoperable web site, which site shall be identified to the Secretary by the eligible entity; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) 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





(g) Review Process- The Secretary shall develop a peer review and evaluation process in consultation with the Director to ensure that open textbooks created, updated, or adapted under this section are of the highest quality, accurate in content, and meet or exceed market quality and accessibility standards.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(h) Report- Upon an eligible entity’s completion of a project supported under this section, the eligible entity shall prepare and submit a report to the Secretary regarding all project costs, including the value of any volunteer labor and institutional capital used for the project.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) 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 are necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. LICENSING MATERIALS WITH A FEDERAL CONNECTION.

(a) In General- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, educational materials such as curricula and textbooks created through grants distributed by Federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, for use in elementary, secondary, or postsecondary courses shall be licensed under an open license.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Accessibility- The full and complete digital content of each of the materials created as described in subsection (a) shall be--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) posted on an easily accessible and interoperable web site, which site shall be identified to the Secretary by the grant recipient; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) 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

SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that institutions of higher education should encourage the consideration of open textbooks by professors within the generally accepted principles of academic freedom that established the right and responsibility of faculty members, individually and collectively, to select course materials that are pedagogically most appropriate for their classes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

Not later than September 30, 2015, the Secretary shall prepare and submit a report to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives detailing--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the open textbooks created, updated, or adapted under this Act;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the adoption of such open textbooks; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) the savings generated for students, States, and the Federal Government though the use of open textbooks.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink