Supporting Student Success Through Affordable, Accessible Learning
At American River College, we are committed to removing barriers that stand between students and their academic goals. One of the most significant barriers our students face is the rising cost of textbooks and required course materials. The ZTC/OER initiative directly addresses this challenge by promoting free and low-cost learning resources that support equitable access and high-quality instruction.
ZTC is a cost designation that signals to students that your course requires no paid textbooks or course materials. A course qualifies as ZTC If students can legally access all required materials at no cost. ZTC is fundamentally about student access!
ZTC-compatible materials can come from many sources—not only OER. Examples include:
- Library e-books and research databases
- Public domain materials
- Curated digital resources such as educational websites, open videos, and government publications
- Creative Commons–licensed works (including those with an ND license)
- Institutionally purchased class sets made available at no cost to students
While ZTC eliminates material costs entirely, some courses may need to require materials that cannot be freely provided. In these cases, the course may qualify for a Low-Cost (LC) designation.
At ARC—and many California community colleges—Low Cost means required materials total $30 or less.
Low-Cost options help students make more informed choices while still supporting equity and affordability.
Examples of Low-Cost course materials include:
- Commercial textbooks priced at or below $30
- Inclusive access materials that fall under the LC threshold
- A combination of free OER and a single low-cost text
- Faculty-authored or adapted materials sold at print-only cost
- OER or free digital texts that offer a low-cost print version
Low-Cost courses may not be fully free, but they align with the same core values as ZTC: reducing financial strain and expanding access.
American River College is pleased to announce new OER/ZTC funding opportunities to support faculty in adopting, adapting, and creating Open Educational Resources (OER) that result in course sections designated as Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC).
In addition to the monetary award, funded projects may receive up to 40 hours of student intern or administrative support for tasks such as:
- Integrating OER materials into Canvas or LibreTexts
- Managing Creative Commons licensing and attribution
- Uploading and organizing materials in OER repositories
- Other administrative and technical tasks that streamline your project
Funding is available for the following types of projects:
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Transitioning to an Open Educational Resource (OER) TextbookFaculty currently using commercial textbooks—either purchased by students or provided as class sets—can receive funding to adopt existing OER materials that align with course outcomes and objectives.Maximum Award: $3,000
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Updating, Enhancing, or Remixing an Existing OER TextbookFaculty who have already adopted OER but wish to make substantial improvements can apply for funding to update, enhance, or remix existing resources. The updated resource must be shared under a Creative Commons License.Maximum Award: $2,500
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Curating or Creating Open Ancillaries and AssessmentsFaculty satisfied with their current OER textbook may apply to develop or curate open ancillaries such as lecture slides, videos, quizzes, question banks, assignments, problem sets, simulations and other interactive elements, or any other resources that align with an OER textbook and support a full semester of coursework. All materials must be openly licensed under a Creative Commons License and published in repositories such as LibreTexts ADAPT, MyOpenMath, or Canvas CommonsMaximum Award: $2,500
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Publishing In-House Materials as OERFaculty who use free, department-created materials that are not yet openly licensed (e.g., lab manuals or internal Canvas content) can receive funding to publish these materials as OER.Maximum Award: $1,500
How to Apply
Faculty may apply through the ARC OER/ZTC Funding Application
Priority will be given to applications received before December 1, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are fully allocated.
For assistance in planning your project or identifying OER materials:
- Join us via Zoom for OER/ZTC drop-in office hours on Tuesday & Wednesday, 12:00 PM-1:30 PM.
Zoom Link - FAQ OER-ZTC Faculty Funding Application 2025
- Application Rubric OER-ZTC Faculty Funding Application 2025
- Contact Yeny Peña-Grafton, OER/ZTC Liaison, pena-gy@arc.losrios.edu
The OER & ZTC Resource Hub is a developing space in Canvas designed to support faculty working with Open Educational Resources and Zero Textbook Cost initiatives at ARC. While the Hub is still under construction, it already serves as a central place for instructors to find reliable information, curated resources, examples, and important announcements related to OER/ZTC efforts.
Rather than a self-paced course, the Hub functions as an evolving resource repository and communication space, offering:
Resources for Faculty New to OER/ZTC
- Introductory explanations of OER, ZTC, and Creative Commons licensing
- Guides for finding, evaluating, and adopting OER
- Examples of discipline-specific repositories and search tools
Resources for Faculty Actively Working on ZTC Projects
- Tutorials and tools to support content creation and remixing
- Platform guides, including basics for LibreTexts
- Links to additional state and national OER networks
As the Hub continues to grow, our goal is to provide faculty with clear, accessible information and practical support to design and implement OER/ZTC solutions that meet the needs of ARC’s students and programs.