Top

User Login | Not a user? [Sign up]



HEA 101 Quick Guide: Textbooks

Print
E-mail

HEA 101 Logo

(HEA Title I, Section 133)

Additional Resources

Statutory Language

 


What's New
On June 8, 2010, the Department of Education issued non-regulatory guidance regarding the textbook provisions.  [NOTE: Richard Hershman, Director of Government Relations at the National Association of College Stores has identified an error in the guidance letter.  Briefly, the law dow not require that the online course schedule include information about the number of students enrollement in a class or the maximum student enrollment for each class.]

Quick Take
Colleges will be required, “to the maximum extent practicable,” to disclose information on required textbooks on all Internet-based course schedules. Required information includes ISBN and retail price for both textbooks and supplemental material. The provision does not apply to printed course schedules. The institution also must provide (as soon as practicable) information on courses – including schedule, required books and supplemental material, and class size – upon the request of a college book store. Many other textbook provisions are directed at publishers, but they indirectly affect institutions.

When Will This Take Effect?

July 1, 2010.  The law prohibits the Secretary from issuing regulations on the textbook provisions; however, conference committee report language indicates that non-regulatory guidance on these provisions is acceptable.  The Secretary published such guidance on June 8, 2010.


Who On Campus May Need to Be Involved?

Academic affairs; faculty; book store; Web master; registrar



Additional Resources
Report Language (H. Rept. 110-308, pp. 457-9)

American Council on Education's Textbook Forum has more information, including examples of what some campuses are doing to comply with the new regulations.

Break on Cost of Textbooks Unlikely Before Last Bell, 2010, Washington Post ,8/20/08

Statutory Language