Should parents have a say in how schools use Amira AI? Over 30 state lawmakers want New Mexico’s Public Education Department to require parental consent for its use. They also want the department to increase oversight in public schools.
Amira is an AI-powered reading assistant that listens to students read out loud and provides feedback. New Mexico school districts have taken varied approaches to the tool, prompting scrutiny over how schools use it.
Lawmakers sent the letter Wednesday, led by Rep. Linda Serrato, D-N.M., of Santa Fe. The bipartisan group urged the NMPED to notify parents about the technology and obtain their consent before schools continue using it.
The letter also calls on the department to regularly test Amira. Lawmakers said they want monitoring to help track possible “model drift.” They described it as changes in an AI system’s behavior and performance after it processes new data.
“For systems interacting directly with children, those safeguards should be especially rigorous. It is not enough to test an AI model once and then assume its behavior will remain the same after it is deployed and exposed to new data,” the letter read.
The letter also raises concerns about the student data Amira collects. This includes names, genders, birthdays, locations and other demographic details.
“We fully recognize that AI can be a powerful tool to enhance our state’s systems, in education and beyond. But it must be coupled with proper oversight and transparency,” it added.
“New Mexicans deserve to understand the tools that interact directly with their children, especially AI technology that may develop and change over time.”
APS Addresses Questions About Amira Use
Albuquerque Public Schools Deputy Superintendent of Leadership and Learning Randy Mahlerwein explained how the district uses Amira.
In a letter to families, Mahlerwein said elementary schools use Amira in two ways: Amira Assessment and Amira Tutor.
He said Amira Assessment helps teachers gauge students’ reading skills and identify areas where they may need extra support. The NMPED requires schools to assess learners’ reading abilities, and APS uses Amira Assessment to meet that requirement.
Mahlerwein said Amira deleted all student voice recordings from previous school years after families raised concerns about the voice data. Moving forward, APS will have Amira delete assessment recordings within 48 hours, allowing teachers time to review students’ reading when needed.
“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,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mahlerwein said Amira Tutor is different. The tool provides students with reading practice and feedback based on their needs.
He said schools can use Amira Tutor to provide students with their required reading tutoring. However, school Instructional Councils can choose other methods to provide reading practice, track progress, and identify areas for additional support.
He also stressed that 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,” Mahlerwein.
The APS official encouraged families to contact their school principals with any further questions about Amira.
