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District says Amira/iStation renewal depends on grant funding; parents urge backup plan for Spanish practice
Summary
The district told the board Oct. 7 that a migrant grant is the intended funding source for renewing the Amira (formerly iStation) Spanish practice platform used by dual‑language families; the district estimated the renewal at roughly $80,000 and said it will seek grant clearance but will consider tradeoffs if the grant does not come through.
Advocates for dual‑language families told the School Board of Broward County on Oct. 7 that the contract for Amira (formerly iStation), a home Spanish practice platform used by Spanish learners, will end in November and that families want continued home access.
District response: the chief academic officer said the district has applied or expects to apply a migrant grant to renew the subscription and estimated the contract at about $80,000. District staff said they will pursue grant clearance and, if grant funding does not materialize, will examine trade‑offs in the budget to try to preserve access.
Why it matters: parents and the Multilingual Advisory Committee said the platform is the primary tool for many non‑Spanish‑speaking families to reinforce Spanish at home. Committee leaders asked the district to track which schools and families would lose access if the contract is not renewed and to return a mitigation plan.
Board follow‑up: trustees asked staff for a clear update on funding progress and a contingency plan to ensure dual‑language families retain at‑home practice options. No formal action was taken Oct. 7.
