West Virginia marks $10 million in educational textbook savings statewide; honors faculty members and staff who’ve supported low- and no-cost textbook options

Since its launch in 2021, Open Learning WV has helped West Virginia college students save nearly $10 million on course materials by promoting the adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER), which are low- or no-cost instructional materials that replace traditional, costly textbooks. This state-led initiative, spearheaded by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, continues to advance affordability, accessibility, and innovation across the state’s higher education system.

The initiative has achieved full participation from all the state’s public colleges and universities, with 672 courses transitioned to OER and 481 faculty members redesigning their classes using these resources.

To date, the Commission has awarded nearly 700 grants to faculty members to support the development and implementation of OER materials. These resources include free or affordable textbooks, workbooks, and digital tools that ensure every student has immediate and equitable access to course content.

Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of Higher Education, applauded the program’s momentum and outcomes, stating, “With almost $10 million in savings realized by West Virginia students, we know that Open Learning WV is making a difference. This initiative reflects our commitment to affordability and innovation. With full participation from our public institutions and hundreds of faculty leading the transition to Open Educational Resources, we are building a learning environment with fewer barriers and greater student satisfaction.”

Demonstrating continued commitment to the initiative, the Commission recently convened higher education partners from across the state for three days of learning, including a focus on Artificial Intelligence to advance open pedagogy and student engagement in the learning process. During the event, three leaders in the OER movement were honored:

• Educator Award: Professor Curtis Hakala from Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College, recognized for more than 15 years of innovation in OER.
• Leadership Award: Professor Taylor Miltenberger from Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, celebrated for her role in advancing OER adoption in allied health.
• Support award: Lucy Kefauver, Director of Online Learning for WV ROCKS, acknowledged for her championing of OER within statewide online courses.

In 2019, the West Virginia Legislature passed a bill encouraging the use of OER to reduce financial burdens on students. Building on that policy, and through a more than $1 million collaboration that began with a seed grant from Ascendium Education Group, the Commission launched Open Learning WV to provide grants for faculty to adopt OER in their courses. Further strengthening these efforts, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito secured $433,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending funds to support additional faculty grants and the development of an online repository, expanding free access to OER materials developed across the state. 

As Open Learning WV continues to grow, the Commission remains committed to supporting faculty and institutions in their efforts to make higher education more affordable, accessible, and student-centered. Faculty interested in learning more about Open Learning WV can visit https://wvclimb.com/open-learning-wv/ or contact the Higher Education Policy Commission at 304-558-2101.