A Message to the APS Community on Amira

In a letter to families, Deputy Superintendent Randy Mahlerwein explains how Amira is used in elementary school classrooms and recent changes involving the platform.

Dear APS Elementary School Families,

You may have heard recent questions or concerns about Amira, a reading platform used in APS elementary schools. We want to make sure you understand what Amira is, how it’s being used, and what choices families have.

First, it’s important to understand that Amira is used in two different ways in our schools: Amira Assessment and Amira Tutor.

Amira Assessment helps teachers understand how students are doing in reading and where they may need extra help. The New Mexico Public Education Department requires schools to assess students’ reading skills, and APS uses Amira Assessment for that purpose.

We know some families have raised concerns because the assessment records students as they read aloud. We took those concerns to Amira, and the company has deleted all APS student voice recordings from the previous school year and earlier. We are including the Certificate of Data Deletion that we received from Amira: Certificate of Data Deletion 

Beyond that, we’ve changed how those recordings are handled going forward. Amira Assessment recordings will now be deleted within 48 hours. That short window gives teachers time to listen to a student’s reading and double-check the results when needed, which can be especially helpful for students with speech or language differences.

If you don’t want your child to take the computer-based Amira Assessment, you can refuse it. Because the state requires students to take a reading assessment, there isn’t an option to skip the assessment altogether. Instead, APS will give your child a paper-and-pencil reading assessment. If you would like to request the paper-and-pencil assessment, please contact your child’s principal. They will meet with you to make sure we understand your request and explain what to expect.

All other students will participate in the Amira computer-based assessment following the district’s established assessment protocols and schedule.

Amira Tutor is different. It provides students with reading practice and feedback based on their needs. The state requires elementary schools to provide students with 30 minutes of reading tutoring each week, but schools have some flexibility in how they meet that requirement.

Amira Tutor is one way schools can provide that tutoring. However, school Instructional Councils may select another approach that provides students with reading practice, tracks their progress and helps teachers determine where they may need additional support.

Importantly, Amira Tutor will not record or store students’ voices.

We recognize that families want to understand the technology their children use at school. Student privacy and safety are priorities for APS, and we have safeguards in place to protect student information. 

If you have questions about Amira Assessment, the paper-and-pencil option or how your child’s school is providing reading tutoring, please contact your school principal.

Thank you for partnering with us to help your child become a strong, confident reader.

Sincerely, 

Dr. Randy Mahlerwein, Deputy Superintendent of Leadership and Learning

Download the Certificate of Data Deletion (PDF)