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Montana Digital Academy seeks funds for ‘Frontier Learning Lab’ to pilot immersive learning in K‑12
Summary
Jason Neiffer, executive director of the Montana Digital Academy, asked the committee to consider a new program — the Frontier Learning Lab — to support immersive technologies (AI, VR) in K‑12 schools, with professional development, a statewide buying consortium, and targeted support for small and rural schools.
Jason Neiffer, executive director of the Montana Digital Academy, presented a plan to the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Education to create a Frontier Learning Lab that would help schools implement immersive learning technologies such as AI tools and virtual-reality simulations.
Neiffer said the proposal would fund a department within the Digital Academy to deliver professional development, vet and license school-appropriate software, and create purchasing consortia to lower equipment and software costs for small districts. “Our goal would be to make these services as inexpensive or ultimately as free so that districts wouldn't have to worry about investing in these technologies,” Neiffer said.
He told the committee that vendors generally will not contract with the smallest schools unless those schools can offer several hundred students; the Digital Academy’s plan is to aggregate demand across districts so even very small schools can access software and shared hardware. Neiffer said the project would emphasize public, transparent development of resources, vendor vetting, data-privacy safeguards and professional learning that extends beyond a single workshop.
Committee members asked logistical questions about delivery of hardware and about coordination with the Office of Public Instruction. Neiffer said the program is already coordinated with OPI through OPI representative Christy Moc Stutz on the Digital Academy board and that the plan envisions working with libraries, regional principals’ meetings and existing couriers for shared equipment among districts.
Lawmakers expressed interest but also cautioned that details and funding sources would need refinement. Chair Beatty said staff will “chew on” the budget request and examine potential funding sources, including the school facility and technology account discussed later in the session. The Digital Academy’s written proposal and requested budget were provided to the committee but the specific dollar amounts for a proposal were not read on the record at the work session.
