At the Nov 15, 2023 APS School Board meeting the Alamogordo Public Schools revealed the purchase contract for an immersive virtual reality lab for $1.6 million dollars from Dreamscape Learn, part of Steven Spielberg’s Dreamscape. Supt Renteria stated the purchase was enabled by an Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) grant. OLDCC provides technical and financial assistance to states, territories, and communities invested in the defense mission. Renteria did not divulge the amount of the grant. What was the intent of the OLDCC funds and how much was APS granted? Does the grant apply to this situation since they are tied to the military? Why are GO Bond Funds listed as the source of funding and not OLDCC on the website as Renteria professes?
Renteria described how 3 School Board members (quorum), Judy Rabon, Amber Ross, Amanda Jewel, Colleen Tagle, and herself, traveled to Arizona State University to view the system that was still basically under development. It was explained at the meeting that a college-level biology curriculum was available. Future development of a college-level chemistry curriculum was briefly mentioned and a middle school curriculum would be developed. While at ASU and meeting with the Dreamscape Learn team, they were introduced to Walter Parks from Dreamscape Works-Hollywood. The APS School Board members and others then traveled to San Diego to a non-profit group, Learner Center Collaborative. They met with Devon Vodicka where they experienced virtual reality immersion by practicing inserting IVs into an arm and walking into the Oval Office. In-depth discussions of systems were held at each travel stop while evaluating immersive virtual reality systems. Another trip by the “APS group” was to Hobbs, NM to research their VR capabilities and applications. Note: The Open Meeting Act warns against a quorum of board members meeting together for discussions and evaluations. This is to ensure the public is aware of deliberations and decisions made in the open. You decide.
After the many trips and discussions by the 3 School Board members and other APS personnel, it was determined to purchase the Dreamscape Learn system, and a Sole Source justification was written by Colleen Tagle for the purchase and posted Oct 13, 2023, to end Nov 12, 2023. The APS School Board meeting was Nov 15th and the contract was announced.
Supt Renteria went on to say the system would be installed at Chaparral Middle School and students from high school AP science would be bussed to CMS in order to use the new VR Lab. Renteria expressed much excitement at the potential of student engagement with the implementation of the new system. Dreamscape showed increases in learning of multiple grade scores with its use in class. More excitement was shared when Renteria explained how teachers would be able to create their own lessons and then put them out for others to use. The same option pertained to the ability of students to create their own lessons as well and share them in the same way.
The video presented at the meeting showed students with wrist devices and multiple “joy sticks” to operate with the VR. Those students felt it was an emotional experience and described how the chairs moved and had wind in their faces during the lab experience. Kind of like a Disneyland ride. All very engaging and entertaining.
What Is The Issue At Hand?
Was there really due diligence prior to this purchase?
Located in Alamogordo is a company called Learn NM & Learn IMRSV owned by Michelle Perry. Four administrators from AHS were invited, with permission of Pam Renteria, to view how VR technology could benefit the high school students academically and occupationally. Later in the summer, with permission of Colleen Tagle, Michelle Perry asked for some teachers to evaluate the VR experience for Mrs Perry’s doctoral dissertation on virtual reality immersion for education which was published in November 2023.
The question is – why didn’t the “decision makers” who traveled to San Diego, Arizona State University, and Hobbs, NM to evaluate applications and systems not evaluate the systems from Learn IMRSV/Learn NM? Those “decision makers” aka School Board members, Pam Renteria and Colleen Tagle did not personally evaluate the local system. If they knew about its existence from prior communication in May 2023 and later in the summer from the high school administrators and teacher evaluations for Mrs Perry’s doctoral dissertation, why did they not include a trip to NMSU-A to see a system in operation and all of the bells and whistles that could be added much as the Dreamscape Learn system they purchased? If another system with the same capabilities as Dreamscape was available locally, how could THIS PURCHASE be classified as a Sole Source purchase? Was this a violation of the law regarding Sole-Source purchases? APS was not aware of the existence of Dreamscape Learn until someone mentioned it to them. The “decision makers” sought out ASU and the other locations. The same evaluation could have been done locally with Learn IMRSV/Learn NM. Supt Renteria and Colleen Tagle were well aware of the company’s existence. Was this a deliberate “snub” due to personal feelings toward Jarret Perry or his wife Michelle Perry, the owner of Learn IMRSV/Learn NM? One would hope not but something is amiss.
According to Mrs Perry, her company offers many educational applications that are already developed, unlike Dreamscape Learn. In essence, Alamogordo Public Schools purchased something that did not and perhaps still does not exist per Pam Renteria. Mrs Perry went on to state her company recently sold a virtual reality system to Cloudcroft. These systems can be purchased in a basic configuration or with as many bells and whistles as desired. APS apparently “snubbed” the opportunity to support local vendors and put more money into the community. In the video of the Nov 15th School Board meeting, Renteria stated (at the 27:02 time mark) “Key considerations for project prioritization include: Efficiency: Exploring economies of scale and the availability of local contractors – “Economic Impact.” A few moments later at 27:24, Renteria stated “When we spend in our local economy, it stays in our economy.” Why didn’t they abide by their own “firm statements?” They deprived Alamogordo of this purchase and the additional $60,000+ in sales taxes that could benefit the community.
Since NMSU-A has a system in place, did the “decision makers” of the School Board, Supt Renteria and Colleen Tagle consider or discuss using the system until APS decided whether it would be a beneficial investment of $1.6 million of taxpayers’ money? Apparently not. APS has a relationship with the college so it would be possible to work with them. Also, APS is planning on bussing the AP science students to Chaparral Middle School to use the new system. Does any of this make sense?
Even more confusing – Why is APS constructing a VR lab, at a huge additional cost, within Chaparral Middle School that is going to be torn down soon? Or, perhaps Colleen Tagle and APS are not being transparent about the current plans and status of the New Chaparral Middle School? The APS website has stale information regarding progress toward the construction of CMS.
Another point of questioning is, a few days after the Nov 15, 2023, School Board meeting when the $1.6 million dollar purchase of the Dreamscape VR lab purchase was announced, the highly touted website that keeps the public informed of all construction projects etc involving GO Bonds, and mil levy expenditures showed a Technology section. There was a highlighted section showing the progress of the VR lab construction and installation of the VR lab. (It has been taken down. Why?) This is what the website showed:
But this is not all! Once the facility is constructed and the Hollywood VR system is installed, continued hidden expenditures are required every year. The figures below are the minimum amount. This is a continuing expenditure on the budget EVERY YEAR!
This is a 4-year contract for 30 student pods and 1 teacher unit with recurring yearly fees & a 90-day warranty for just 1 class in biology:
| Refreshing/updating VR headsets & other equipment | $ 15,000 |
| Site License (up to 2,500 students) | 75,000 |
| Courseware License (up to 400 Students for “Biology in the Alien Zoo”) | 20,000 |
| Immersive Classroom License (up to 1,500 students) | 15,000 |
| Technical & Support Services – base cost + travel/expense & admin fees | 20,000 |
| YEARLY Minimum Total | $145,000 |
Additional Expenses & Requirements
Under the contract, APS is obligated to fund a CPA audit including fees charged by Dreamscape Learn’s accountants and attorneys involved in the audit.
APS must “retain a sufficient number of qualified personnel in connection with the day-to-day operation of the site including personnel to manage and facilitate the student on-site experience as well as address routine technical issues.”
Alarmingly, APS is required to maintain detailed reporting on usage annually according to Dreamscape Learn’s criteria. There is no telling how much this open-ended obligation might cost.
Sufficient liability insurance where Dreamscape Learn is named “Additional Insured” or “Loss Payee.”
All software updates are to be performed by APS within a time frame determined by Dreamscape Learn otherwise relieved of Support Service responsibilities.
Student data will be OWNED by Dreamscape Learn. APS can access the data. Parental consent must be obtained before use.
Further, has APS or Dreamscape Learn issued any cautions or warnings on the use of Virtual Reality on children? Ask them. Other companies make sure parents and students understand these warnings. APS should make it clear to parents before asking for their consent.
Technology is a wonderful thing but purchasing without full knowledge of long-term risks and benefits to the students and APS is hasty and inexcusable.
Purchasing hardware and software that has no required grade level curriculum needed for APS nor future costs known for a system that is not yet operational makes absolutely no sense. Is that what you call a “pig in a poke?” Can APS explain its risk assessment? Long-term unknown financial obligations?
A careful review shows that this is a horrific plan with future unknown costs. Read the contract yourself.
