shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use OERTX?

OER Commons is a dynamic digital library and network. Explore open education resources and join our network of educators dedicated to curriculum improvement. - oertx.highered.texas.gov

Worth it. Use it if you teach, curate, or design courses at a Texas higher-ed institution — it is completely free and Texas-course-aligned. Skip it if you are outside Texas or need editorially vetted materials; OER Commons and OpenStax fit better.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~40 public sources; mostly official pages and library guides, no independent user reviews found.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of useNo usability evidence found.
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Public repository

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Texas higher-ed faculty cutting textbook costs
  • Librarians curating OER
  • Workforce course designers needing WECM alignment
  • Texas institutions building custom hubs

Not for

  • Non-Texas educators wanting broad national coverage
  • K-12 districts needing full curricula
  • Anyone needing vetted, quality-assured content
  • Teams wanting LMS-grade course delivery

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Submissions are not evaluated by administrators — vet quality and licenses yourself before classroom use.

medium

Program is grant-funded; funding lapses could affect upkeep.

low

Content carries Creative Commons licensing — attribution obligations apply when remixing.

low

Built via state RFO contract; platform direction follows THECB priorities, not user requests.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Completely free — all resources available at no cost.
  • Aligned to Texas WECM workforce course codes for easy adoption.
  • Hosts peer-review groups and educator community discussions.
  • Custom hubs let institutions build dedicated resource centers.
  • Won a 2022 Open Education Award.

Cons

  • Administrators do not evaluate submissions; quality varies widely.
  • Texas-specific scope limits usefulness outside the state.
  • No dedicated security page found in our scan.
  • Depends on state grants and contracts; continuity uncertain.

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/20/2026 - 11 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed. State-run Texas.gov site with a published privacy policy.

official x5review x2security x1news x3

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 11

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free, state-funded; no cost at all.
  • Ease of use. No usability evidence found.
  • Feature depth: 3/5. Library, groups, hubs, courseware; not an LMS.
  • Support quality: 3/5. Help center exists; no support reviews found.
  • Security posture: 4/5. Texas.gov hosted; published privacy policy.
  • $0 Price All resources free
  • Sep 2020 Launched By Texas THECB
  • $2M State OER grants Awarded by Gov. Abbott
  • 2022 Recognition Open Education Award

Pricing

Public repository

$0

  • Search and download OER
  • Contribute resources
  • Join groups and hubs

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

State-run Texas.gov site with a published privacy policy.

What users say

evidence consists almost entirely of official pages and Texas library guides recommending it, not user reviews.

Companies that use it

  • Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board⁵
  • University of Houston-Clear Lake⁷
  • Schreiner University (Logan Library)⁸
  • Texas A&M University-San Antonio
  • El Paso Community College
Full analysis

Based on ~40 public sources; mostly official pages and library guides, no independent user reviews found.

Free, state-funded Texas OER library. Great for Texas higher ed; weak bet elsewhere or if you need vetted content.

Methodology

Based on ~40 public sources; mostly official pages and library guides, no independent user reviews found.

Sources

  1. OERTX homepageoertx.highered.texas.gov
    official
  2. OERTX Aboutoertx.highered.texas.gov
    official
  3. Submission Policyoertx.highered.texas.gov
    official
  4. OERTX Repository — Digital Learning Texasdltx.highered.texas.gov
    official
  5. THECB launches OERTXhighered.texas.gov
    news
  6. OERTX Repository RFOreportcenter.highered.texas.gov
    official
  7. UHCL library guideuhcl.libguides.com
    review
  8. Schreiner Library guidelibrary.schreiner.edu
    review
  9. $2M OER grants awardedoerdynamiccoalition.org
    news
  10. 2022 Open Education Awardoercommons.org
    news
  11. Privacy & Security Policyoertx.highered.texas.gov
    security

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