41 elementary schools that were awarded grants to expand summer reading programs will be some of the first to use the reading tutor
DES MOINES — The Iowa Department of Education today announced it has made a $3 million investment to provide Iowa elementary schools with an intelligent, personalized reading tutor that accelerates student achievement in foundational reading skills, including in phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, vocabulary and comprehension.
“Reading unlocks a lifetime of potential, and the Department’s new investment in statewide personalized reading tutoring further advances our shared commitment to strengthening early literacy instruction,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “This work builds upon our comprehensive advancements in early literacy, spanning world-class state content standards, statewide educator professional learning, evidence-based summer reading programs, and Personalized Reading Plans for students in need of support.”
To further support summer and school reading and intervention programs, the Department selected Amira (EPS Learning) to provide the innovative, online literacy tutor, called EPS Reading Assistant, at no cost to Iowa schools. Grounded in the science of reading, EPS Reading Assistant uses voice-recognition technology, delivering in-the-moment tutoring, including corrective feedback and support to build essential reading skills. As students read aloud, a digital avatar named Amira listens, assesses and intervenes when a student struggles. The personalized reading tutor is being provided to all public and nonpublic elementary schools through the summer of 2025.
Earlier this summer, the Department awarded Summer Reading Grants to 41 elementary schools in 29 districts to address summer learning loss with the goal of advancing student achievement and narrowing and closing achievement gaps. Each awardee affirmed their commitment to including the personalized reading tutor as part of their evidence-based programming.
Funds for the Summer Reading Grant and the Amira personalized reading tutor are provided through the Iowa Department of Education’s portion from the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (APR ESSER) Fund to address state-level educational efforts.
Schools interested in using the reading tutor can sign up at the Iowa Reading Assistant Sign-Up | EPS Learning website. More information on literacy instruction and summer reading grants is available on the Department’s Literacy Instruction webpage and Summer Reading Grant webpage.