ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Albuquerque Public Schools says it will continue using the artificial intelligence reading program Amira, while implementing additional privacy measures in response to concerns raised by parents and lawmakers.
In a message to families, APS officials said voice recordings collected through the program’s assessment feature will now be deleted within 48 hours, giving teachers time to review the recordings before they are removed. The district also said recordings collected before the current school year have already been deleted.
APS officials said Amira’s tutoring feature will continue evaluating and scoring students’ reading performance but will no longer record student voices.
The changes come after weeks of public concern over how student voice data is collected, stored, and used. Parents have voiced concerns at school board meetings across New Mexico, questioning the handling of student information and the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms.
Amira listens to students read aloud, identifies reading errors, and generates performance scores. The software has been required by the New Mexico Public Education Department for student reading assessments since the 2025-26 school year.
Several school districts around the state have opted not to use the program, citing privacy concerns. However, APS has maintained that it will continue using Amira, pointing to reading growth among students who use the platform.
District officials say families who do not want their children participating in Amira can request a paper-and-pencil assessment instead.
The debate has also reached the state Legislature. A bipartisan group of lawmakers recently called on the Public Education Department to provide additional information about Amira and consider requiring parental consent before students use the program.
The Public Education Department has said it is continuing to evaluate emerging technologies and welcomes further discussion about safeguards, accountability, and transparency.
