Open Educational Resources

Florida Tackles Textbook Affordability with OER Partnership

• By Rhea Kelly
• 02/06/20

Last year, the State University System of Florida embarked on an "action plan" to give students "access to quality and affordable textbooks and other instructional materials, thereby increasing the likelihood of their success in higher education." The system has partnered with open educational resources company Lumen Learning to provide course materials within its textbook affordability mandate.

Some of the requirements of the action plan include:

• Course materials must be priced at $20 or less per credit hour;
• Students should have access to materials on the first day of class and retain access to digital materials beyond the end of the course;
• The option for print-on-demand for digital materials;
• Accessibility for students with disabilities; and
• University access to data.

As part of the partnership, Lumen has created a "ready-to-adopt" course catalog that allows faculty to search for and review Lumen course materials for 50-plus college subjects, tagged with Florida's common course codes and names used across the state. Lumen's array of course materials include interactive e-textbooks and instructor supplements, as well as the company's digital courseware solutions, Lumen Online Homework Manager and Waymaker.