CTC Link Labeling

CTC link Labeling

The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) has made it possible for students to search in the Class Schedule for courses using " OER: No Textbook to Purchase" or "Low-Cost Textbook“ course attribute. This labeling requirement is in response to Washington State Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1375 , that amended (RCW 28B.50.789), stipulating that a community college shall provide information about the cost of required materials for each course section. This labeling requirement is applied only to colleges who have deployed ctcLink. Labeling policies are now instituted in the SBCTC Coding Manual and require colleges to identify courses accordingly

For a course to be labeled “OER”

No Textbook to Purchase: a course uses Open Educational Resources (OER) as the primary, required instructional materials for the course. A printed version and some supplementary course materials may be available for purchase in bookstore. OER’s are resources released either under an open license or in the public domain permitting their free use, repurposing, and sharing.

Includes: ALL required instructional materials such as textbooks, websites, software programs, apps, courseware packages, access codes to homework websites etc.

Does NOT include tools & supplies, course fees, small copying/printing costs

For a course to be labeled “Low Cost”

To be designated as a Low-Cost course, the combined cost of the required course materials should be $50 or less

  • Includes: ALL required instructional materials such as textbooks, websites, software programs, apps, courseware packages, access codes to homework websites etc.
  • Does NOT include tools & supplies, course fees, small copying/printing costs.
  • The labeling is applied to an individual class section of a course, not to the overall course itself.
  • The threshold is based on the price at the campus bookstore or charged by the publisher directly, whichever is Lower.
  • Prorating the book cost based on the number of credits or number of sections used is not allowed. For example, a $100 textbook spanning two quarters is not to be prorated 50/50, thus, not to be labeled Low-Cost.