National survey finds AI readiness gap in schools as IBM launches the IBM K-12 AI leaders fellowship for district leaders to support responsible AI adoption
IBM announced new U.S. research examining AI readiness in K-12 schools and the launch of the IBM K-12 AI leaders fellowship.
As schools begin a new academic year, AI is becoming a routine part of K-12 teaching and learning. Yet the survey, commissioned by IBM and conducted by Morning Consult, finds that the systems supporting responsible AI use are still catching up, pointing to a gap between how quickly AI is entering classrooms and how prepared schools are to manage it.
To help address that need, IBM today announced the IBM K-12 AI leaders fellowship, a new professional learning initiative designed for K-12 superintendents, education leaders and educators. The fellowship will equip school leaders with practical knowledge and tools to guide responsible AI adoption, support educators and strengthen engagement with parents.
The survey, conducted among more than 2,000 K-12 educators and parents, found:
- AI is already routine in secondary classrooms. 76% of middle school and 73% of high school classroom educators report AI is used in their classroom at least weekly, compared with 45% of elementary educators. Nearly half of high school educators (45%) report AI is used in the classroom daily or almost daily.
- Educator preparation is not keeping pace. Only 20% of K-12 educators say they have received extensive AI training. Lack of training or professional development is also the top barrier educators cite to supporting AI literacy, at 42%, followed by limited AI curriculum and instructional materials, at 34%.
- Schools are making progress, but few say they are adapting especially well. Only 24% of K-12 educators and 16% of parents say the U.S. education system is adapting very well to advances in AI.
Parents, meanwhile, want a larger role in how schools use AI. While 77% say they want input on how AI is used in their child’s classroom, only 20% clearly understand the AI guidance their child receives at school. Parents point to clearer guidelines (51%) and greater transparency about classroom AI use (48%) as the steps that would most increase their confidence.
“Many superintendents and school leaders are making decisions today that will shape how an entire generation learns and works with AI,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, IBM. “AI readiness means helping educators use AI thoughtfully and responsibly so they can help students build the skills and judgment they’ll need for the future of work.”
The fellowship’s inaugural cohort will launch this fall with up to 100 superintendents, education leaders and educators from the greater New York area. Working with partners, IBM will provide participants with AI learning and credentials through its free education program, IBM SkillsBuild. Participants will also have access to a curriculum and capstone projects focused on putting responsible AI into practice, along with access to expert facilitators. During its first year, IBM plans to expand the program to additional U.S. states, reaching hundreds of education leaders through a scalable cohort model.
“There isn’t a single playbook for AI in education, and school leaders shouldn’t have to navigate these decisions alone,” said Nixon-Saintil. “Leaders need practical approaches they can take back to their districts. This fellowship creates a space for them to learn from one another and build the confidence to guide responsible AI adoption.”
Additional Survey Findings
The research also found:
- Educators and parents agree on when AI learning should begin. Among those who believe AI has a place in education, 41% of both groups point to middle school, grades 6-8, as the stage when students should first begin to learn about AI.
- Educators see AI readiness increasing in later grades. While 42% of K-12 educators overall believe students are prepared for future jobs in an AI-driven economy and ready to think critically before accepting AI outputs, confidence rises among middle and high school educators. 56% of both groups say students are prepared for future jobs, while 56% of middle school educators and 59% of high school educators say students are ready to think critically about AI outputs.
- Teachers and administrators place different emphasis on AI concerns. Classroom teachers rank student dependency on AI (52%) and cheating or plagiarism (47%) as their leading concerns. Administrators are more likely than teachers to cite insufficient AI training (26% versus 19%) and the cost of AI tools (22% versus 11%).
- Educators and parents differ on how AI literacy should fit into K-12 education. 59% of educators believe AI literacy should be required or offered as an elective, compared with 40% of parents. Parents are more than twice as likely as educators to say AI does not belong in K-12 education at this time, 28% versus 12%.
- AI is also changing how educators and parents think about higher education. 41% of educators say AI has made a four-year college degree feel more essential, while parents are more likely to say AI has made a degree feel less essential (30%) than more essential (24%).
