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Riverside Unified adopts Amira K–2 reading screener to meet state deadline, board approves $229,000 plan
Summary
The Riverside Unified School District board voted May 8 to adopt Amira Learning's K–2 reading screener and training package to comply with a state requirement by June 30, 2025. The first-year cost is estimated at about $229,000, mostly covered by state funds and the district's learning recovery grant.
The Riverside Unified School District Board of Education voted May 8 to adopt Amira Learning's reading-difficulty screener for kindergarten through second grade, part of a statewide requirement that districts have an approved screener by June 30, 2025.
Superintendent and instructional staff told trustees the adoption followed a district committee process that began in December 2024 after the state published an approved list of four screeners. "The committee piloted two programs, engaged teachers across 30 schools, and reached consensus recommending Amira," said Dr. Sosa, who led the presentation.
Teachers on the pilot described classroom benefits. "Amira gave me immediate, actionable insight," one teacher who works with students with disabilities said, recounting a student who scored differently on English and Spanish versions of the tool. "It validated what I suspected — the language, not ability, was the barrier," she said. Another teacher said Amira engaged students and delivered fine-grained diagnostic data with minimal instructional interruption.
The district estimated the first-year all-in cost at about $229,000, including professional development and substitute coverage. Dr. Sosa told the board the state provided roughly $166,000 for this school year based on the district's K–2 staffing; remaining expenses would be covered by the learning recovery block grant.
Trustees pressed for ongoing evaluation. Trustee Vickers requested a user-experience report six months after rollout; Dr. Sosa agreed to incorporate follow-up data into the district's regular MTSS reporting cycle. Trustee Tweed asked about the tool's track record; Janet Sewell, the instructional services specialist who led the adoption committee, said Amira has been under development for decades and is in use in several California districts, including Los Angeles Unified.
The board moved and seconded adoption; the motion passed. District staff will schedule teacher training, parent reporting, and regular updates to the board as implementation proceeds.
