Total student spending on course materials in general has been in decline, dropping 44 percent between the 2011-12 and 2021-22 academic years, according to data from the research service Student Monitor. One key contributor is the number of professors who’ve replaced textbooks with low-cost or open educational resources. Another, researchers say, is the growth in student options: Buying a used textbook. Renting a textbook. Buying a digital version of a textbook.
