2025 -- H 6107

========

LC002271

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- PILOT PROGRAM FOR VIRTUAL REALITY LEARNING

PLATFORM

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Biah, DeSimone, McGaw, Hull, J. Lombardi, Corvese,
Diaz, Slater, McNamara, and Potter

     Date Introduced: March 19, 2025

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1

     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by

2

adding thereto the following chapter:

3

CHAPTER 117

4

PILOT PROGRAM FOR VIRTUAL REALITY LEARNING PLATFORM

5

     16-117-1. Establishment of virtual reality learning platform pilot program.

6

     (a) Beginning with fiscal year 2026, the general assembly shall appropriate funds for

7

elementary and secondary education in the amount of two million dollars ($2,000,000), specifically

8

to be used to fund a pilot program to implement transformative and innovative instructional

9

strategies, aligned to the appropriate standards, for math and science courses through use of virtual

10

reality technology.

11

     (b) The department of education shall issue a request for proposal for an experiential

12

learning platform that has demonstrated significant improvement in algebra 1 benchmark verified

13

by a third-party evaluation. The selected program shall offer tactile, multimodal learning

14

experiences that derive and teach standards-aligned math concepts and skills for grades six (6)

15

through twelve (12) STEM education. The program should immerse students in real world

16

problems in the economy to build career exposure and relevance, utilizing three (3) dimensional

17

models and interactives that visualize and manipulate abstract mathematical and scientific

18

concepts.

 

1

     (c) The funds appropriated shall be used to train and coach middle school and high school

2

mathematics teachers to utilize virtual reality technology to deliver efficacious problem and

3

student-centered lessons in their classrooms, including the use of virtual reality headsets, in districts

4

selected by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education throughout the state where

5

there is a demonstrated need for increased student engagement and achievement in mathematics.

6

     (d) The request for proposal process shall be completed no later than August 1, 2025. The

7

selected provider shall provide a third party written report to the commissioner of elementary and

8

secondary education prior to the start of the next full school year following the beginning of the

9

pilot program demonstrating the impact of the program on student engagement and achievement.

10

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC002271

========

 

LC002271 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- PILOT PROGRAM FOR VIRTUAL REALITY LEARNING

PLATFORM

***

1

     This act would establish a pilot program for a virtual reality learning platform to improve

2

mathematic skills for grades six (6) through twelve (12) STEM education and would appropriate

3

the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the program.

4

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC002271

========

 

LC002271 - Page 3 of 3