Zero Textbook Cost Degrees: Past, Present, and Future

Presenters: Una Daly, James Glapa-Grossklag & Barbara Illowsky, PhD

Description:  Twenty-three California Community Colleges embarked on a journey to create thirty-four Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Degrees to dramatically reduce the financial burden of earning an associate degree or career technical education certificate. More than 20,000 students over three years would benefit from this approach to eliminating the barrier of textbook costs. Data collected from participating colleges show that all students in ZTC pathways did better than those in non-ZTC courses, and that traditionally under served populations did even better.

With proven results of reducing equity gaps, the Governor has proposed doubling the initial $5 million ZTC program to $10 million in FY21, opening this opportunity to more colleges wishing to leverage ZTCs to increase student achievement and reduce equity gaps.

Join us to hear from ZTC champions who led the initiative, supporting the faculty who transformed their courses to lower barriers and improve students learning, and ensuring the sustainability of the program. Consider how to integrate a ZTC approach with your distance ed, equity, pathways and other student success-centered initiatives. Learn about how students and librarians are poised to play an essential role in the proposed $10 million grant. Finally, learn the critical steps for success and how to assess your college’s readiness for developing ZTC degrees.

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