E-BOOK Act of 2015

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to lower the cost of college education by establishing pilot programs to expand student access to digital course materials. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Electronic Books Opening Opportunity for Knowledge Act of 2015 E–BOOK Act of 2015 2. Purpose The purpose of this Act is to identify savings in the cost of higher education for undergraduate students by funding pilot programs to expand student access to digital academic course materials. 3. Grants to Expand Access to Digital Course Materials Title VIII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1161a et seq. BB Grants for the Expansion of Access to Digital Course Materials 899. Grants for Access to Digital Course Materials (a) Grants authorized (1) In General From amounts made available by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (g), the Secretary may award grants on a competitive basis to not more than 10 institutions of higher education to reduce the cost of attendance for undergraduate students by providing such students with expanded access to digital course materials. (2) Amount of funds to be awarded The Secretary shall determine the amount of funds to be awarded for each grant based on the number of students to be served under the grant, except that no grant under this section shall be in an amount that is more than $2,000,000. (b) Application An institution desiring to obtain a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and accompanied by such information, agreements, and assurances as the Secretary may reasonably require. (c) Preference In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to applications that demonstrate a commitment to serving disadvantaged students. (d) Use of Funds Each grant awarded under this section shall provide to an institution of higher education funds to support a pilot program for the institution to make digital course materials available to undergraduate students in at least two different academic departments. Such funds may be used for any of the following: (1) Purchasing and maintaining electronic equipment or software necessary for the operation of the pilot program, including mobile computer devices and accompanying hardware, software applications, computer systems and platforms, and other digital and online services and support. (2) Purchasing and maintaining digital and online content for the institution to make available electronically to instructors or students, including paying any copyright fees associated with the digital distribution of physical course materials. (3) Hiring staff for the administration of the pilot program, with priority given to hiring enrolled undergraduate students. (4) Building or acquiring extra storage space dedicated to equipment used for the pilot program. (5) Supporting professional development activities for instructors, instructional aides, or other personnel as needed to support implementation of the pilot program. (6) Revising and adapting academic curricula as needed to implement the pilot program. (7) Acquiring such other goods or services as the Secretary determines appropriate. (e) Reporting requirements (1) Report to the Secretary After a period of time to be determined by the Secretary, each institution of higher education that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary a report that includes— (A) an assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot program funded by the grant in reducing the cost of attendance for students; (B) an assessment of any impact of the pilot program on student achievement; (C) an accounting of the purposes for which the grant funds were expended; and (D) any additional information the Secretary reasonably requires. (2) Report to Congress Not later than three years after the end of the first fiscal year in which a grant is awarded under this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the effectiveness of the grants. Such report shall include— (A) an estimate by the Secretary of the amount of money saved by students who participate in the pilot programs; (B) a summary of the best practices developed in the pilot programs; (C) a description of the types of digital course materials used in the pilot programs, including electronic books, interactive and adaptive digital learning tools, and open educational resources; and (D) any recommendations the Secretary determines appropriate regarding future congressional action related to student access to digital course materials. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Cost of attendance The term cost of attendance (2) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education (3) Digital course materials The term digital course materials (4) Open educational resources The term open educational resources (5) Mobile computer device The term mobile computer device (6) Disadvantaged student The term disadvantaged student (A) from a low-income family; (B) a minority; or (C) from an economically or otherwise disadvantaged background. (g) Funding Of the funds made available in appropriation Acts for fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018 for the purpose of making competitive grants to institutions of higher education under this Act, the Secretary may make available to carry out this section not more than $20,000,000. (h) Sunset No grants may be awarded under this section after September 30, 2018. .

Summary: Electronic Books Opening Opportunity for Knowledge Act of 2015 or the E-BOOK Act of 2015 This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive grants to up to 10 institutions of higher education (IHEs) to conduct pilot programs to reduce the cost of attendance for undergraduate students by expanding their access to digital course materials. A preference is given to applications that demonstrate a commitment to serving disadvantaged students. Grantees must make digital course materials available to undergraduate students in at least two different academic departments. Grant funds may be used to: purchase and maintain the electronic equipment or software their pilot programs need; purchase and maintain the digital and online content that instructors or students will use; hire staff to administer their pilot programs, with priority given to hiring enrolled undergraduate students; build or acquire extra storage space for pilot program equipment; support professional development; and revise and adapt curricula as needed to implement the IHEs' pilot programs.