California open source digital textbook plan faces barriers

May 11, 2009, 17:03 (0 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Ryan Paul)

"Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has an ambitious plan to reduce the cost of education in California. He intends for the state to develop digital open source textbooks for high school math and science classes. The books will be available for free and will be used at public schools across the state.

"Schwarzenegger has tasked California Secretary of Education Glen Thomas with making sure that the new textbooks are ready for deployment in fall 2009. Thomas will be collaborating with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the president of the State Board of Education.

"Public education is costly in California and accounts for roughly 40 percent of the state government's annual budget. The state's current financial woes have forced Schwarzenegger to search for ways to cut some of the fat out of school spending."

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