The bill establishes a new chapter, CHAPTER 117, titled "PILOT PROGRAM FOR VIRTUAL REALITY LEARNING PLATFORM," within Title 16 of the General Laws concerning education. It mandates the appropriation of $250,000 starting in fiscal year 2026 to fund a pilot program aimed at implementing transformative and innovative instructional strategies for math and science courses through the use of virtual reality technology.

The Department of Education is tasked with issuing a request for proposal (RFP) for an experiential learning platform that has demonstrated significant improvement in algebra 1 benchmarks, verified by a third-party evaluation. The selected program will provide tactile, multimodal learning experiences for students in grades six through twelve, immersing them in real-world problems to enhance career exposure and relevance.

The appropriated funds will also be used to train and coach middle and high school mathematics teachers in effectively utilizing virtual reality technology to deliver engaging, student-centered lessons in classrooms, particularly in districts identified by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education as having a demonstrated need for increased student engagement and achievement in mathematics.

The RFP process must be completed by August 1, 2025, and the chosen provider is required to submit a third-party written report to the commissioner demonstrating the program's impact on student engagement and achievement prior to the start of the next full school year following the beginning of the pilot program. The act will take effect upon passage.