WASHINGTON, D.C. — About three in five U.S. K-12 educators say they used AI tools for their work last school year, and nearly two-thirds of those who did say the technology freed up time for the parts of the job that matter most to them.
These findings come from a Walton Family Foundation-Gallup survey, conducted in partnership with The Mattering Institute, that examines educators’ experiences with mattering at work. “Mattering” is the feeling that you are valued and have the opportunity to add value to the world. For educators, it can mean feeling valued by their students, colleagues, school and community and having the opportunity to meaningfully add value back. The survey finds that educators’ strongest sense of mattering comes from their interactions with students, who are much more likely than supervisors or parents to express appreciation and praise for what educators do.
The survey was conducted online July 28-Aug. 14, 2026, with 1,952 U.S. K-12 educators, defined as teachers, paraprofessionals and other staff working in classrooms, who are members of the probability-based Gallup Panel.
Majority of K-12 Educators Used AI Last School Year
Fifty-nine percent of K-12 educators say they used AI tools like chatbots, adaptive learning systems and other interactive AI platforms during the 2025-2026 school year for activities such as preparing to teach, making student learning materials or assessments, grading, providing feedback, or performing administrative tasks. AI use is highest among educators aged 40 to 59; the rate among those younger than 40 is close to the overall average, while the rate among those aged 60 and older is considerably below average.
AI Frees Up Time for What Matters Most to Educators
Among K-12 educators who used AI tools during the school year, nearly two-thirds say it gave them more time for the parts of teaching that matter most: 13% say it gave them a lot more time, and 51% say it gave them somewhat more time. Just 7% say AI cost them time rather than saving it, while 29% say it had no effect either way.
Working With Students Is What Makes Educators Feel They Matter Most
The activities most likely to make educators feel they matter are those that involve working directly with students. Eighty-five percent say helping a student through something difficult makes them feel they matter a great deal, and 74% say the same about seeing students perform well academically. Giving students individual feedback and leading creative, hands-on activities follow, at 57% and 50%, respectively.
Administrative tasks are by far the least likely to give educators a strong sense that they matter.
Educators Receive the Most Recognition From Students
Students are not only central to the activities that give educators the strongest sense of mattering; they are also educators’ most frequent source of recognition. Whereas 67% of K-12 educators say they receive recognition from students at least a few times a month, half report receiving recognition from their supervisors and 38% from students’ parents with the same frequency.
Roughly One in Three K-12 Educators Feel They Matter a Great Deal at School
Despite the recognition many educators receive from students, a strong sense of mattering within their school is far from universal. About one in three K-12 educators, 35%, say they matter a great deal at their school. Another 47% say they matter somewhat, and 19% say they do not matter too much or at all.
Bottom Line
AI is already part of the job for a majority of K-12 educators, and most who use it say it gives them more time for the parts of their work they value most. The activities that educators say make them feel they matter most involve working directly with students, but only about one in three say they matter a great deal at their school.
Learn more about the Walton Family Foundation-Gallup-The Mattering Institute report, The Mattering Gap Among K-12 Educators.
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