30% of K-12 teachers using AI weekly save 6 weeks annually

A new Gallup study reveals that 30% of K-12 teachers are using AI tools weekly, saving them the equivalent of six weeks per year in workload reduction. The research, conducted by the Walton Foundation, a philanthropic organization, and Gallup, surveyed 2,232 public school teachers and found that AI adoption is helping educators reclaim time for more personalized instruction while improving accessibility for students with disabilities.

What you should know: Teachers are primarily using AI for lesson preparation, worksheet creation, and personalizing materials to student needs.

• 60% of K-12 teachers reported using some form of AI tool during the 2024-2025 school year, including chatbots, adaptive learning systems, and other interactive AI platforms.
• Weekly AI users reclaim nearly six hours per week, which they reinvest in “more personalized instruction, deeper student feedback and better parent communication.”
• The study found that 40% of teachers don’t use AI at all, and only 19% said their school has an AI policy in place.

The big picture: AI tools are demonstrating measurable impact on teaching quality and efficiency, with educators reporting significant improvements in their work output.

• As much as 74% of teachers said AI improved their administrative tasks, while 57% reported better grading processes.
• However, 16% of teachers felt AI negatively impacted their work product, highlighting the mixed reception of these tools.

Why this matters: The “AI dividend” extends beyond time savings to address critical educational equity issues, particularly for students with disabilities.

• 57% of teachers agree that AI will improve accessibility of learning materials for students with disabilities, with special education teachers showing even stronger support at 65%.
• The time saved allows teachers to focus on relationship building and individualized attention, potentially improving overall student outcomes.

Key details: Adoption patterns vary significantly by school level and usage frequency, with benefits concentrated among regular users.

• High school teachers are both the heaviest AI users and most likely to oppose AI use, reflecting complex attitudes toward the technology.
• Teachers using AI tools less than weekly saw a significant dropoff in time saved compared to more active users.
• Schools with AI policies help increase the amount of time teachers save, suggesting structured implementation matters.

The critical thinking concern: Both educators and students worry about AI’s impact on cognitive skills, a concern supported by recent research.

• A MIT Media Lab study found that while AI “undeniably reduced the friction involved in answering participants’ questions,” it came “at a cognitive cost, diminishing users’ inclination to critically evaluate the LLM’s output.”
• The study noted that AI reduced users’ problem-solving endurance and critical evaluation skills.

What they’re saying: The research emphasizes the importance of proper training and support for effective AI implementation.

• “As AI tools grow more embedded in education, both teachers and students will need the training and support to use them effectively,” the report noted.
• “If teachers have the resources they need to innovate with AI tools, the AI dividend has the potential to reach more teachers and students,” the study concluded.