2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-3617/1
FFK:ajk&skw
June 12, 2025 - Introduced by Senator Feyen, cosponsored by Representatives Snyder, Kitchens, Kreibich and O'Connor. Referred to Committee on Education.
SB325,1,2
1An Act relating to: a virtual reality technology pilot program for school
2districts. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to administer a pilot program to award a contract to an entity to provide a virtual reality technology program in one rural school district, one suburban school district, and one urban school district, each of which is selected by DPI. As part of the contract, the entity must agree to provide the virtual reality technology program to at least 16,000 pupils and provide at least 3,200 virtual reality headsets for use in the participating school districts. Under the bill, the virtual reality technology program must satisfy various criteria, including the following:
1) It is aligned with the state model academic standards for math and science in grades 6 to 12.
2) It has demonstrated significant improvement in Algebra 1 benchmark assessments through a research-backed, spatially enhanced approach to mathematical concepts, as verified by a third-party evaluation—specifically, a randomized, controlled trial.
3) It includes a formative assessment platform that a) allows pupils to take assessments aligned with the state model academic standards for math and science and b) provides assessment results to teachers and school district administrators in a manner that allows them to monitor pupils’ progress toward meeting the math and science standards throughout the school year.
The bill also requires DPI to provide to individuals who teach math in the middle or high school grades in the participating school districts coaching, which DPI must ensure is delivered in the classroom, and training on how to effectively use the virtual reality technology program in the classroom. Finally, the bill requires DPI to provide to the standing legislative committees on education monthly written reports on the status of the selection of an entity to provide the virtual reality technology program and the implementation of the virtual reality technology pilot program.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB325,9134
1Section 9134. Nonstatutory provisions; Public Instruction. SB325,2,22(1) Virtual reality technology program; pilot program. SB325,2,33(a) Definitions. In this subsection: SB325,2,441. “Department” means the department of public instruction. SB325,2,652. “Rural school district” means a school district that, in the previous school 6year, had a membership of no more than 745 pupils. SB325,2,873. “Suburban school district” means a school district that, in the previous 8school year, had a membership of more than 745 pupils but less than 18,000 pupils. SB325,2,1194. “Urban school district” means a school district that, in the previous school 10year, had a membership of at least 18,000 pupils. “Urban school district” does not 11include a school district operating under ch. 119. SB325,2,13125. “Virtual reality technology program” means an experiential learning 13platform that satisfies all of the following criteria: SB325,2,1514a. It is aligned with the state model academic standards for math and science 15for grades 6 to 12. SB325,3,316b. It has demonstrated significant improvement in Algebra 1 benchmark
1assessments through a research-backed, spatially enhanced approach to 2mathematical concepts, as verified by a randomized, controlled trial conducted by a 33rd party. SB325,3,74c. It immerses pupils in real-world problems in the economy to build career 5exposure and relevance, utilizing 3-dimensional models and interactive models that 6visualize and manipulate abstract mathematical concepts that pupils typically 7struggle to grasp, retain, and apply. SB325,3,108d. It offers tactile, multimodal learning experiences that derive and teach 9math concepts and skills for science, technology, engineering, and math education 10in grades 6 to 12. SB325,3,1611e. It includes a formative assessment platform that allows pupils to take 12formative assessments aligned with the state model academic standards for math 13and science and provides results on those assessments to teachers and school 14district administrators in a manner that allows teachers and school district 15administrators to monitor pupils’ progress on those state model academic 16standards throughout the school year. SB325,4,217(b) Pilot program. 1. The department shall award, using a competitive 18request-for-proposals process, a contract to an entity to provide a virtual reality 19technology program in 3 school districts, as selected by the department under subd. 202., during the school year in which this subsection takes effect and the subsequent 212 school years. The contract awarded under this subdivision shall require that the 22entity providing the virtual reality technology program provide the virtual reality 23technology program to at least 16,000 pupils in this state and provide at least 3,200
1virtual reality headsets for use in the school districts selected to participate in the 2program. SB325,4,532. The department shall select one rural school district, one suburban school 4district, and one urban school district to participate in the pilot program under this 5subsection. SB325,4,1163. The department shall provide to individuals who teach middle school or 7high school math in a school district participating in the pilot program under this 8subsection training and coaching on how to utilize the virtual reality technology 9program to deliver effective problem-solving and pupil-centered lessons in the 10classroom. The department shall ensure that the coaching provided under this 11subdivision is delivered in the classroom. SB325,4,15124. The department shall provide to the chairpersons of the education 13committees in the assembly and senate a monthly written status report on the 14status of contracting for the provision of a virtual reality technology program and 15the implementation of the pilot program under this paragraph.
