Iowa expands AI reading tutor Amira to 96,000 students despite parent privacy concerns

Iowa schools are increasingly turning to Amira, an AI-powered reading tutor that listens to students read aloud and provides instant feedback. The program has expanded to more than 96,000 students across the state, but some parents worry the technology mishears their children and threatens their digital privacy.

Amira is now a central piece of Iowa's literacy strategy, backed by millions in state funding. Governor Kim Reynolds approved $2.5 million for the program last year, and the state will offer it at no cost to the first 110,000 elementary students who enroll through July 31, 2028.

What is Amira and why are Iowa schools using it?

Amira is an AI tutor that elementary students read to out loud. The software listens, corrects pronunciation, and tailors reading exercises to each child's level. Supporters say it provides individualized feedback that would be time-consuming for teachers to deliver one-on-one.

The Iowa Department of Education began recommending Amira in 2024, when 41 elementary schools receiving state literacy grants were encouraged to use it. At that time, the state funded the program with $3 million in federal COVID relief money.

Last school year, Iowa students using Amira read over 7 million minutes and completed 1.3 million stories, according to Heather Doe, a spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Education.

Parent concerns: misheard words and privacy risks

Carlise Car, a West Des Moines mother, says her daughter Chloe loved reading at home before starting kindergarten at Jordan Creek Elementary this August. After school began, that changed.

“She wasn't interested in reading,” Car said.

Car spotted Amira on her daughter's weekly school internet report and started researching the program. She found that Amira frequently asked Chloe to repeat herself, especially because Chloe is soft-spoken and had recently lost a tooth.

Car opted her daughter out of the program after speaking with the principal. But she remains concerned about the privacy of her daughter's voice recordings and about the lack of clear information given to parents.

“We were pretty blindsided,” Car said.

She noted that the school's technology waiver did not specifically mention the use of AI.

What West Des Moines says about Amira and data privacy

West Des Moines district spokesperson Bryan Geelan told Axios that data provided to Amira is district property and cannot be used to train public AI models. He said the district's guidelines align with nationally set standards.

Still, privacy advocates and some parents argue that families should be told exactly how AI tools collect, store, and use children's voice data before they are introduced in classrooms.

Does Amira actually improve reading skills?

State data shows promising results. Students who used Amira for at least 20 minutes a week during the 2025-26 school year gained half a school year's worth of progress compared with students who did not use the program, according to Amira's progress evaluation.

A teacher-administered oral assessment of first through fifth graders showed that students using the program correctly said 12.4 words per minute beyond typical expectations, Doe said.

However, independent research on AI reading tutors like Amira is not conclusive. Matt Burns, a professor at the University of Florida, told EdWeek that while 25- to 30-minute sessions can show positive results, it is difficult to compare that with the impact of a human tutor.

How Iowa school districts are using Amira differently

Use of Amira varies across the metro and the state.

• Des Moines Public Schools: Elementary students use Amira during reading rotations when they are not in a small group.
• Johnston: Last year, the district focused on first through third grade classrooms in three elementary buildings. Staff saw progress, but the district also used other literacy tools, making it hard to tell if Amira caused the improvement, said Michelle Crannell, Johnston's director of Elementary Teaching and Learning. The district is using Amira again this fall and is determining broader use.
• Urbandale: Has used Amira since 2024.
• Ankeny: A small share of students whose first language is not English are using Amira.
• Waukee: Not considering the program due to the state's new screen time law, spokesperson Kayla Choate told Axios.

Most districts rely on Clever, which works with Infinite Campus, to help protect students' privacy.

What's next for Amira in Iowa

The state will continue offering Amira at no cost to districts, with enrollment open through July 31, 2028. As the program grows, parents and educators will be watching closely to see whether the benefits outweigh the concerns.

For families worried about privacy, the advice from advocates is simple: ask your school what AI tools are being used, what data is collected, and how you can opt your child out.