The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) has made it
easier for students to find textbook pricing information, according to a new
report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). However, the report
also found that costs continue to rise at an average of 6% per year.
The study was required by the HEOA to show what steps textbook publishers, campus
bookstores, and faculty members were making to enhance students’ choice and
knowledge about the books they were buying. It found that used, digital, and
rental textbook provide lower-cost options, but also that the price of new
printed textbooks often drives the cost of other items.
The GAO reported that all publishers in the study use
their web sites to provide their pricing of textbooks for bookstores and direct
to consumers, and faculty members are more conscious about pricing when
assigning the material. The report also stated publishers are making their
bundled materials available for individual sale, but components are not always the
lowest-priced option and students may have limited choices when it comes to
buying unbundled materials.
The agency found 81% of colleges and universities
disclose lists of assigned textbooks for each course, including ISBNs and
retail price, and nearly 93% of the schools made that information available in
public areas that did not require a password.
“While we are pleased that publishers and schools are
complying with federal transparency requirements, more needs to be done to
provide more affordable textbook options,” wrote Rep. George Miller (D-CA) and
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) in a joint statement.
“As the GAO report suggests, transparency alone isn’t enough.”