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Youth Services VR headset pilot deferred after lawmakers ask for evaluation plan
Summary
The State Controlling Board deferred a Department of Youth Services request to buy virtual-reality headsets under a Title I federal grant, asking the department to return with details on how the pilot will be evaluated and how the equipment will be used.
The State Controlling Board on April 7 deferred item number 44, a Department of Youth Services (DYS) request to purchase virtual-reality (VR) headsets using Title I federal grant funds, after legislators asked for an evaluation plan and clarification of program details.
Steve Horenko, the agency procurement officer for DYS, told the board the request covers headsets for the agency’s facilities as part of a STEM-education pilot. Horenko said the funding comes from a Title I federal grant and that the purchase is not limited to VR alone; the grant can also be used for other educational equipment and teacher salaries. At one point Horenko described "approximately ... 60 headsets for each one of our facilities," and later described the allocation as "30 sets of 4 ... one for each of our facilities and one for our central office to work and train," language the board asked the department to clarify.
Representative Stewart and Senator Ingram asked how many students would use the equipment and whether the department had concerns about relying on VR as a primary teaching modality for youth in DYS facilities. Horenko said the program is a pilot and that staff expect it could be useful to engage students in science and math; the department agreed to return with how it will evaluate outcomes and use the equipment.
Because legislators asked for a clearer evaluation plan and for clarity on quantities and usage, the board deferred the item to a future meeting so the department can provide that information.
