Education is tied to the economic prosperity of people and places yet the educational attainment of people living in rural Arizona is markedly lower than urban Arizona and the rest of the U.S. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, 83% of Arizona geographically is classified as rural. Fifteen percent of people in rural Arizona live in poverty compared to 12% in metropolitan Arizona and 11% in the U.S. Twenty-one percent of persons 25+ in rural Arizona have a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 33% in both metropolitan Arizona and in the U.S.

At public two-year colleges, full-time students on average spend $1,420 on books and supplies per year. 19% of students indicate the cost of books and materials influence their decision on what classes to take.  

OER are an alternative that can lead to an increase in student cost savings, access, and quality of instruction.