passing variable - shows invalid variable ...

this should have been easy.... but for some reason its not working ...
Controller..

Code:

<?php

namespace App\Controllers;

use App\Controllers\BaseController;
use App\Models\UserModel;

class Login extends BaseController
{
    public function index()
    {
        return view('login');
    }
 
    public function authenticate()
    {
        $session = session();
        $userModel = new UserModel();

        $email = $this->request->getVar('email');
        $password = $this->request->getVar('password');
       
        $user = $userModel->where('user_email', $email)->first();
       
        if(is_null($user)) {
            return redirect()->back()->withInput()->with('error', 'Invalid username or password.');
        }

        $pwd_verify = password_verify($password, $user['user_pass']);

        if(!$pwd_verify) {
            return redirect()->back()->withInput()->with('error', 'Invalid username or password.');
        }

        $ses_data = [
            'user_id' => $user['user_id'],
            'user_email' => $user['user_email'],
            'isLoggedIn' => TRUE
        ];

        $session->set($ses_data);
        $data = array("js_to_load"=> "hello");
     
       
        //$data['js_to_load']=array("https://cdn.datatables.net/2.2.2/js/dataTables.js","https://cdn.datatables.net/2.2.2/js/dataTables.tailwindcss.js");

        return view( '/dashboard', $data);
 
       
       
    }
}

View - dashboard

Code:

<?=$this->extend("layouts/postlogin_layout")?>
 
<?=$this->section("content")?>

        <?php echo $js_to_load; ?>
       
 

    <?=$this->include('partials/usersettings');?>
   
<?=$this->endSection()?>

keep getting

ErrorException - Undefined variable $js_to_load

I have tried everything ..

Code:

$this->load->view('/dashboard',$data);
return view( '/dashboard', $data);
echo view('dashboard', $data);

all give the same invalid variable
if in the view i put

Code:

print_r($_SESSION);

it print's the session...
I know i am making a very small mistake some where just dont know where ...