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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCAU) — The Iowa Department of Education announced it has made a $3 million investment to provide Iowa elementary schools with its personalized reading tutor.

According to a press release 41 elementary schools that were awarded grants to expand summer reading programs will be some of the first to use the reading tutor.

McKenzie Snow, Iowa Department of Education Director, says 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.

Snow continues “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.

EPS Reading Assistant uses voice-recognition technology. It will assess and intervene when a student struggles delivering in-the-moment tutoring, including corrective feedback and support to build essential reading skills. The personalized reading tutor is being provided to all public and nonpublic elementary schools through the summer of 2025.

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.

More information on literacy instruction and summer reading grants is available on the Department’s Literacy Instruction webpage and Summer Reading Grant webpage.