AI exposure Education and library
Will AI replace special education teachers?
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School. US occupation 25-2058.
The reading
9.9%
of the time special education teachers spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of special education teachers' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.
Ranked 185 of 756 US occupations. More exposed than 75% of them.Further along than 75% 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 special education teachersWhat special education teachers no longer do alone
O*NET lists 39 tasks for special education 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
- 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
- Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.Core task mostly automated 0.85
- Provide additional instruction in vocational areas. automated and assisted 0.84
- Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of secondary school programs.Core task automated and assisted 0.72
What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human
31 of the 39 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.
- Administer standardized ability and achievement tests, and interpret results to determine students' strengths and needs.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, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.Core task
- Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, and social development.Core task
Show the other 25
- Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.Core task
- Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.Core task
- Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.Core task
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among 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 adjustments, academic problems, or special academic interests.Core task
- Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, and food preparation.Core task
- Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, 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
- Meet with parents and guardians to provide guidance in using community resources and to teach skills for dealing with students' impairments.Core task
- Monitor teachers and teacher assistants to ensure that they adhere to inclusive special education program requirements.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 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 students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.Core task
- Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.Core task
- Teach personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, and self-advocacy.Core task
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement.Core task
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
- Perform administrative duties, such as school library assistance, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
- Provide interpretation and transcription of regular classroom materials through Braille and sign language.
- Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
- Sponsor extracurricular activities, such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.
- Visit schools to tutor students with sensory impairments and to consult with teachers regarding students' special needs.
How that compares
Among the 57 education and library occupations, special education teachers rank 29. 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
- 183Electronics Engineers, Except Computer 10.0%
- 183Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary 10.0%
- 185History Teachers, Postsecondary 9.9%
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.