Questions Remain for APS Regarding Amira
Has APS requested voice recordings be deleted (like Los Alamos, Santa Fe and Las Cruces)?
In the NMPED Amira ISIP Guidance the state says districts have the authority to
a) permanently delete recorded data,
b) disable any collected audio recordings,
c) elect not to retain student audio.
We have demanded the district immediately delete all previously recorded data, disable future audio collection, and explicitly choose not to retain any student audio.
Will APS create a process for requesting our children’s voice data be deleted and inaccessible indefinitely?
APS didn’t show initiative until hundreds of families opted out of Amira. Let’s demand that they do the right thing and delete our children’s data. Write to board members and the administration AND join us for public comment at the school board meeting.
Who has had access to voice recordings over the past year?
It’s a question we have been asking. We have only received vague responses and hollow reassurances.
If I opt-out of having my 1st grader use the Amira screener, will they not be screened for dyslexia?
According to the NMPED, APS must provide an alternative for the Dyslexia Screener. NMPED-approved Spanish and English alternatives are provided in the memorandum from the Secretary of Education. According to the form, caregivers that don’t want their children tested by Amira at all (paper or computer based) also refuse the Dyslexia Screener for their 1st graders. But according to the NMPED… “Screening of First-Grade Students As stated in New Mexico Statute 22-13-32 NMSA 1978, all first-grade students must be screened for characteristics of dyslexia by the 40th day of school or within two weeks of initial enrollment for students new to New Mexico.”
Does APS have plans to adopt an AI specific data governance policy to include the most rigorous security measures available for student voice data and AI education tools?
We’ve asked APS to prioritize strict AI safeguards. In our petition letter, nearly 800 families asked the district to adopt an AI-specific data governance policy equipped with the most rigorous security measures available to protect student voice data and to respect the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of students within the APS population.
Does the Amira refusal form just cover the reading assessment? What if my child has been using the other Amira products? Will there be a different form for Evaluar (Lectura) and Math?
We don’t know. Let’s ask the school board and superintendent.