AI exposure Education and library
Will AI replace elementary school teachers?
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education. US occupation 25-2021.
The reading
10.3%
of the time elementary school teachers spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of elementary school teachers' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.
Ranked 176 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 76% of them.Further along than 76% of them.
Per cent of working time Square-law scale
Average US job 7.7%
Well above the typical job.Ahead of most of the workforce.
What AI already does for elementary school teachersWhat elementary school teachers no longer do alone
O*NET lists 37 tasks for elementary school teachers. AI use at work shows up in 8 of them. Each score runs from 0.5, where every observed use helps a person with the task, to 1, where every use does the task outright.
- Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.Core task mostly automated 0.94
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.Core task mostly automated 0.94
- Organize and label materials and display students' work.Core task mostly automated 0.90
- Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.Core task mostly automated 0.88
- Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.Core task mostly automated 0.87
- Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools.Core task mostly automated 0.86
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.Core task automated and assisted 0.82
- Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of elementary school programs.Core task automated and assisted 0.72
What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human
29 of the 37 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.
- Administer standardized ability and achievement tests, and interpret results to determine student strengths and needs.Core task
- Assign and grade class work and homework.Core task
- Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.Core task
- Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.Core task
- Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.Core task
- Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.Core task
Show the other 23
- Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.Core task
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among the students.Core task
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.Core task
- Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or with special academic interests.Core task
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.Core task
- Instruct students individually and in groups, using teaching methods such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.Core task
- Involve parent volunteers and older students in children's activities to facilitate involvement in focused, complex play.Core task
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.Core task
- Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.Core task
- Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs.Core task
- Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, and storytelling.Core task
- Perform administrative duties, such as school library assistance, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.Core task
- Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guest speakers or other experiential activities, and guide students in learning from those activities.Core task
- Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.Core task
- Prepare for assigned classes and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors.Core task
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.Core task
- Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.Core task
- Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.Core task
- Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.Core task
- Read books to entire classes or small groups.Core task
- Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.Core task
- Supervise, evaluate, and plan assignments for teacher assistants and volunteers.Core task
- Sponsor extracurricular activities, such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.
How that compares
Among the 57 education and library occupations, elementary school teachers rank 26. The group averages 12.9%, and its most exposed job is Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary at 43.1%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.
Just above in the ranking
- 173Geographers 11.0%
- 174First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers 10.8%
- 175Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers 10.7%
Just below
What this does and does not mean
Exposure is observed use, not a forecast. Anthropic maps work conversations with Claude onto the tasks O*NET lists for each job and asks, of the tasks AI could speed up, which are actually being used for at work. A use that does the task outright counts in full and a use that assists a person counts half. The task scores are averaged into the occupation figure by the share of time spent on each task.
A high figure means AI is already part of how this work gets done. It does not mean anyone has been replaced. Anthropic's own reading of the labour market finds no systematic rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting exposed jobs.No measurable rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting these jobs. Gap years for everyone. Labor market impacts, 5 March 2026.
Task list and titles from O*NET 31.0 by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Scores from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Checked 1 November 2026. How the ranking works.