Using Amira to Improve DIBELS Reading Outcomes

This technical report evaluates the effectiveness of Amira Tutor, an AI-powered literacy assessment and tutoring platform, in enhancing reading performance as measured by the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) 8th Edition. The study focuses on early elementary students in a large urban Texas district during the 2024-25 school year. It employs a rigorous matched comparison group design involving over 15,000 students from 174 schools, ensuring baseline equivalence on various demographic characteristics. Results indicate that kindergarten students using Amira Tutor scored approximately 8 percentile points higher than matched control students, while first graders scored about 2 percentile points higher. The findings meet Tier 2 moderate evidence criteria under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), supporting Amira Tutor as an evidence-based intervention for early literacy. The report also discusses the platform's components, including ISIP Assess, Tutor, and Instruct, and highlights its positive impacts on diverse and economically disadvantaged student populations.