2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The rising cost of instructional materials continues to present a challenge in higher education, placing financial strain on students and potentially affecting their academic success. Open Educational Resources (OER), freely accessible and adaptable teaching materials, may help reduce costs while supporting access and innovation in education. By shifting from commercial textbook materials to adaptable, freely available OER, institutions may broaden access to high-quality educational content and expand learning opportunities. Across the United States, higher education institutions are adopting OER as a strategy to improve textbook affordability. These resources are associated with benefits such as cost savings, increased accessibility, and the ability to tailor materials to specific courses or student needs. States such as Washington, Texas, Virginia, and Colorado have reported success in implementing OER policies including significant cost reductions for students and improved student outcomes. Tennessee has made notable progress in embracing OER as a tool for enhancing affordability, though gaps remain. Recognizing these challenges, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission conducted the Tennessee Open Education Survey 2024 to establish a baseline understanding of textbook affordability practices, identify barriers to OER adoption, and inform future efforts for improving access to affordable instructional materials statewide. The paper highlights analysis of the survey data and major findings. According to the survey, community colleges and public universities in Tennessee are at the forefront of OER adoption. These institutions reported strong engagement in OER initiatives, including faculty training, support infrastructure, and widespread awareness—practices that may serve as valuable models for other institutions. Several institutions also indicated they are tracking cumulative student savings and monitoring academic performance, contributing to a deeper understanding of OER’s impact. Institutions also reported challenges to OER adoption such as lower awareness, limited funding, lack of training and incentives and other barriers to OER implementation. Despite these challenges, the findings suggest that Tennessee’s higher education institutions have opportunities to further explore OER to enhance affordability and access.