As Louisiana faces a severe teacher shortage, schools are turning to artificial intelligence to help bridge the gap—particularly in Jefferson Parish, the state’s largest school district.
With 140 teacher vacancies and 3,000 students without a teacher daily, Jefferson Parish schools are struggling to provide adequate classroom instruction. In response, some schools have introduced Amira, an AI-powered reading tutor designed to provide personalized learning assistance to students.
One student, 10-year-old Zakiyatou “Zaki” Arouna, has seen major improvements in her reading skills since using Amira. Arouna, who recently immigrated from West Africa and spoke primarily French, says the AI tutor has helped her learn English.
Teachers like Kearies Mays say the program is tiered, starting with basic phonics and adjusting to each student’s proficiency level. While human instructors monitor the class, Amira provides one-on-one reading assistance, something difficult for teachers to do in overcrowded classrooms.
“It’ll assist, acting like a tutor,” Mays said. “The AI is basically a tutor. I don’t have to do much. Of course, I’ll monitor and walk around and just listen. But, it’s basically a reading tutor for them.”
At Phoebe Hearst Elementary, where 65% of students are Hispanic, the demand for bilingual teachers is high. Principal Brian Wahl believes Amira is a game-changer for English learners, allowing students to receive instruction in both Spanish and English.
Special education students are also benefiting. 10-year-old Megan, who is on the autism spectrum, uses Amira for pronunciation guidance under teacher supervision.
Amira was developed by a San Francisco-based startup and is part of a $1.7 million pilot program funded by federal COVID-19 relief money. Currently, 35 Louisiana school systems are using the AI tutor, helping 71,000 studentsstatewide.
Educators initially had concerns about relying on AI, but many, including Adam DiBenedetto, director of academic innovation at the Louisiana Department of Education, now see its benefits.
With teacher shortages unlikely to be resolved soon, AI-powered tutors like Amira could play a key role in the future of education—helping students learn effectively, even in understaffed classrooms.
