Bill > H1427

This bill establishes an Open Educational Resource (OER) Trust Fund to reduce the cost of college education by supporting the development and distribution of free educational materials. OER is defined as teaching and learning resources that are freely accessible, adaptable, and redistributable, typically in digital format. The bill creates a fund administered by the Commissioner of Higher Education that can receive state appropriations, private donations, and grants, with money not reverting to the General Fund at year's end. The fund will support activities like developing free curricular materials, providing professional development for educators on using OER, offering technical assistance, and creating a competitive grant program for public higher education institutions and early college programs. The bill requires institutions to inform students about OER courses and grant recipients to report on the program's impact. Additionally, the Commissioner must submit an annual report to legislative committees detailing fund activities, including the sources and amounts of funding, expenditures, participating institutions, estimated student and cost savings, and information about funded and unfunded OER initiatives. The goal is to make college more affordable by reducing textbook and educational material costs, potentially alleviating financial hardships for students.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1427