Michelson20MM Celebrates Success of Zero Textbook Cost Degrees in California

In June, California State Senator Jesse Arreguín introduced a floor recognition to celebrate the positive  impact of the California Community College’s Zero Textbook Cost Degree Program.  This has been an issue area long supported by ORFG Member Michelson 20MM Foundation, which works to prioritize underserved students.  Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) degrees use open educational resources and other no cost materials to eliminate the barrier of course materials costs for students. In its first year alone, the program saved community college students over $32 million.   

Open educational resources (OER) are a critical focus area of the Foundation’s work; beyond rebalancing the educational content market, OER has been tied to increased student completion and success. While philanthropy can support the development and dissemination of OER, legislatures and policies provide broader cultural and market pressures to put students’ learning first. California’s ZTC program is the United State’s  largest public investment in OER, created in 2021 through a $116 million budget allocation 2026 marks the last year of the project’s state funding. 

Open research outputs are critical to the development and dissemination of OER – openly available outputs that can be reused for student learning are just one facet of broadening and strengthening the open research ecosystem. These students, after all, are our future researchers and scientists who will give back to the research community. 

Read more about California’s ZTC Floor Recognition here.