Artificial intelligence is already reshaping how students learn and think critically, but school leaders are largely leaving teachers to figure it out alone, a new Gallup survey shows.
The disconnect is stark. While some K-12 teachers are using AI in their work, roughly eight in ten report receiving zero formal guidance on how to apply the technology effectively. For specific uses, the numbers are even worse. Around 71 percent got no guidance on using AI for feedback or coaching, and 69 percent received nothing on leveraging it for one-on-one tutoring.
Teachers also lacked institutional direction on using AI to detect patterns in student learning, handle administrative tasks, grade assignments, or supplement instruction.
The problem runs deeper than simple oversight. AI tools work differently depending on context. An elementary school teacher's use case looks nothing like that of an AP calculus instructor. That variation makes it nearly impossible for districts to craft blanket policies, turning AI into just another optional technology, like Canva or Quizlet, rather than something that demands strategic deployment.
"It's not a question of whether students will use AI," says Amy Loyd, CEO of All4Ed. "It's a question of how well educators are supported and get the ongoing professional learning to be confident in it." Teachers are already under mounting pressure to integrate AI into classrooms, but many lack the policy frameworks, support systems, and institutional guidance needed to do it thoughtfully.
When schools did provide guidance, it was mostly informal, such as verbal direction or shared norms. That approach created a troubling equity gap. Teachers in wealthier schools were significantly more likely to receive guidance than those in under-resourced institutions, particularly on using AI to create student materials.
Arman Jaffer, CEO of Brisk Teaching, an AI education platform, warns that the current approach risks both opportunity and harm. "AI can amplify the best parts of teaching and the worst," he says. The job of school leadership isn't to push every new tool. It's to identify which ones streamline teacher work and genuinely improve student outcomes. Adding more AI without strategy will only pile pressure on educators already stretched thin.
Students are getting the message that AI proficiency matters for college success, and some are already changing academic paths based on what they see emerging in the job market. Schools that fail to provide real support for teachers won't just frustrate staff. They'll leave students underprepared for what comes next.
Author James Rodriguez: "Schools are treating the most powerful technology to hit education in decades like optional freeware when they should be setting clear strategy and backing teachers with real training."
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