Two New Mexico school districts have announced plans to suspend use of Amira, an artificial intelligence-based reading assessment tool required by the state, citing concerns about student privacy and voice data storage. Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Christine Griffin stated the district would pause implementation of the program until the New Mexico Public Education Department provides guidance on privacy protections. The district indicated it would switch to i-Ready, its existing math assessment software, if state direction is not received by August 14. Los Alamos Public Schools made a similar decision, with Superintendent Jennifer Guy publishing a letter expressing uncertainty about where voice recordings are stored, who can access them, and how long they are retained.
Albuquerque Public Schools, the state’s largest district, announced it would continue using Amira in accordance with state requirements. Superintendent Gabriella Durán Blakey stated the district is following state education department guidance, noting that Amira serves as the state’s required dyslexia screener for kindergarten through 2nd grade students. Deputy Superintendent Randy Mahlerwein reported that Albuquerque experienced improvements in reading proficiency scores last school year, with 34 percent of 1st graders and 39 percent of 2nd graders achieving proficiency by the end of May.
The software program operates by listening to students read aloud and identifying errors. Parents have raised concerns that voice recordings are being saved and used to develop commercial AI products. The state education department spokesperson indicated that updated guidance on Amira use is forthcoming and will address privacy and confidentiality matters. A policy analyst with the Legislative Education Study Committee noted in May that the state’s deployment of Amira revealed policy gaps and questioned the vetting process used prior to implementation. New Mexico is one of two states currently requiring Amira use, though it is authorized in several other states.
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