Agenda Item
g. Purchase of Amira Tutor, Supplemental High-Dosage Tutoring (Not to exceed $600,000)
Summary: Presented by: Ms. Stacy E. Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum and Instruction
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the purchase of Amira Tutor, a high-dosage, research-based tutoring program to support foundational reading skills, fluency, and reading comprehension development in kindergarten through third grade, in an amount not to exceed $600,000.
Why: The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) administers the Northwest Evaluation Association Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) three times per year. The 2025 spring MAP Fluency data results in the areas of phonics and word recognition are as follows:
Phonics and Word Recognition
Grade
Below Expectation
Approaching Expectation
Meets Expectation
Exceeds Expectation
Kindergarten
27%
16%
25%
32%
First
52%
46%
2%
0%
Second
96%
0%
4%
0%
Third
95%
0%
5%
0%
Amira ISIP is the Georgia Department of Education’s approved reading and dyslexia screener provided to local school districts at no cost. The District is seeking to adopt and purchase Amira Tutor, a supplemental tutoring program that algins directly to the Amira Assess. Amira Tutor will provide high-dosage, evidence-based, AI-guided, 1:1 tutoring to support teaching and learning. Real-time micro interventions are individualized and use research-based techniques and explicit decoding strategies to enhance foundational reading skills.
Pursuant to Board Policy DJE (III.D.3.g.2), the purchase of Amira Tutor does not require a competitive bid because it meets the policy definition of supplemental resources needed for instruction. In addition, Amira Tutor was evaluated and selected by qualified professional personnel based on sound pedagogical judgment and in the school district’s best interest.
Details: Amira ISIP provides a comprehensive and culturally responsive assessment system that evaluates key early literacy components such as phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, and comprehension-many of which can be completed in 15-20 minutes. The voice-enabled technology listens as students read aloud, detects errors with high reliability and validity, and generates actionable data reports that support differentiated instruction and early identification of reading difficulties, including dyslexia risk.
Amira acts in three essential roles: a dyslexia screener and diagnostic tool, a skilled instructional assistant, and a personalized reading coach. These roles are particularly valuable for early learners who benefit from responsive, individualized practice grounded in the science of reading.
For educators, Amira Tutor enhances classroom efficiency by allowing small group, whole group, or individual support by delivering immediate feedback through an AI-powered 1:1 tutor. For students, Amira Tutor fosters independence and engagement through interactive read-aloud experiences and real-time positive reinforcement. This tool is especially effective for supporting diverse learners thanks to its universal design features and multilingual sensitivity.
Overall, Amira Tutor empowers K-3 teachers with the data and tools needed to deliver responsive instruction, monitor progress, and close early literacy gaps, making it an asset in building foundational reading proficiency across all student groups. The selection of the Amira Tutor followed a two-round review process:
Round 1 (March 17, 2025): The five GADOE approved vendors presented their universal reading and dyslexia screener in person. A total of 15 participants attended, including central office coordinators, directors, assistant superintendents, and chiefs. Participants provided structured feedback and posed questions regarding instructional design, alignment with science of reading, and support for differentiated instruction of each resource.
Round 2 (April 3, 2025): Vendors addressed specific questions that arose in Round 1.
Financial impact: The total contract amount will not exceed $600,000.
120.2100.553200.26021.7210.1613.8010.035.2025
GEER II Dyslexia
Communication-Web Subscription
100-1000-553200-00011-7580-9990-8010-035-000
Communication-Web Subscription
100-2220-530000-00011-7580-9990-8010-035-0000
Purchased Professional/Technical Services
Contact: Ms. Stacy E. Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678-676-0731
Dr. Sean R. Tartt, Deputy Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678-676-0731
Dr. Penny Mosley, Assistant Superintendent K-5 Curriculum & Instruction, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678-676-0137
Dr. Lynn Angus Ramos, Director, Literacy, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678-676-0136
Mrs. Lummie Baker, Director, Educational Media and Instructional Materials, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678-676-2421
Effective: July 15, 2025- June 30, 2026
Status: Approved by Office of Legal Affairs
Updated December 18, 2024
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
2
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
3
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
4
•
•
•
•
•
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
5
• • •
•
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
6
•
The grant period is July 1, 2024 - August 31, 2025.
•
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
7
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
8
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
9
§
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
10
§
20-2-
153.1(d)(3)
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
11
•
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
12
•
•
•
•
•
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
13
•
•
•
must review and
for quality and alignment
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
14
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
15
•
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
16
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
17
•
•
•
•
•
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
18
•
•
•
•
o
o
o
o
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
19
o
o
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
20
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
21
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
22
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
23
Georgia Department of Education | Aligning State Literacy Policies & Practices | Updated September 16, 2024
24