Background
Title 5 § 54221. Burden-Free Access to Instructional Materials requires local Boards of Trustees “ensure student access to textbooks and supplemental materials that are needed on the first day of class.” The regulation delineates ways to achieve this goal and various memos have provided further clarification regarding the intent of the regulation. This regulation is one component of the implementation of the recommendations of the Burden-Free Instructional Materials Task Force that concluded its work in 2023. In 2025, the Burden-Free Instructional Materials Implementation Task Force was established to begin implementation of the recommendations.
California Code of Regulations
Access § 54221. Burden-Free Access to Instructional Materials.
Examples of Related Board Policies (BPs) and Administrative Procedures (APs) in the California Community Colleges
Board Policies
*Hartnell Community College District: BP 4042 Open Educational Resources and Low-Cost Textbooks
Administrative Procedures
*Hartnell Community College District: AP 4042 Open Educational Resources and Low-Cost Textbooks
*Hartnell adopted a relevant BP and AP prior to the requirements established by § 54221.
Resources
Resolutions
Board Resolution Instructional Material Affordability (Number 2023-18)
Memos
ESS 25-63 Empowering Day-One Access through OER (Title 5, § 54221) (PDF)
ESS 25-43 Burden-Free Access to Instructional Materials: Regulatory Provisions (PDF)
Presentations
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