Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education

Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education score 37 out of 100, which is moderate exposure to AI. That ranks #457 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 30 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 8 on its own and 6 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 7 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

37/ 100

Moderate

Rank: #457of 923 jobs
US workers: 1,584,440for Teaching Assistants
Median pay: $37,010a year
In real AI use: 7 of 30tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 8 (27%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 6 (20%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 16 (53%)

Distribute tests and homework assignments and collect them when they are completed.AI can speed this up on its own
Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices.AI can speed this up on its own · Seen in real AI use
Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories, and assist students with hardware and software use.AI can speed this up on its own
Plan, prepare, and develop various teaching aids, such as bibliographies, charts, and graphs.AI can speed this up on its own · Seen in real AI use
Prepare lesson outlines and plans in assigned subject areas and submit outlines to teachers for review.AI can speed this up on its own
Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud.AI can speed this up on its own
Take class attendance and maintain attendance records.AI can speed this up on its own
Type, file, and duplicate materials.AI can speed this up on its own
Assist librarians in school libraries.AI can speed this up with extra software
Observe students' performance, and record relevant data to assess progress.AI can speed this up with extra software
Organize and label materials and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their eye levels and perceptual skills.AI can speed this up with extra software
Prepare lesson materials, bulletin board displays, exhibits, equipment, and demonstrations.AI can speed this up with extra software · Seen in real AI use
Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.AI can speed this up with extra software · Seen in real AI use
Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.AI can speed this up with extra software · Seen in real AI use
Assist in bus loading and unloading.Little or no AI speed-up
Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.Little or no AI speed-up
Clean classrooms.Little or no AI speed-up
Collect money from students for school-related projects.Little or no AI speed-up
Conduct demonstrations to teach skills, such as sports, dancing, and handicrafts.Little or no AI speed-up
Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts.Little or no AI speed-up
Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students.Little or no AI speed-up
Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.Little or no AI speed-up
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.Little or no AI speed-up · Seen in real AI use
Laminate teaching materials to increase their durability under repeated use.Little or no AI speed-up
Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.Little or no AI speed-up
Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development.Little or no AI speed-up · Seen in real AI use
Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students' progress or problems.Little or no AI speed-up
Requisition and stock teaching materials and supplies.Little or no AI speed-up
Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.Little or no AI speed-up
Teach social skills to students.Little or no AI speed-up

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Questions about teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education and AI

Will AI replace teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education score 37 out of 100 (moderate exposure), #457 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 14 of the job's 30 tasks, 8 of them on its own, while 16 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Distribute tests and homework assignments and collect them when they are completed"; "Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices"; "Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories, and assist students with hardware and software use".

Which teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Assist in bus loading and unloading"; "Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required"; "Clean classrooms".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 7 of the 30 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education, and what do they earn?

About 1,584,440 people in the US (figure for Teaching Assistants), with median pay of $37,010 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.