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As the 2025-2026 school year progresses into its latter half, TPT surveyed approximately 11,500 educators, which included classroom teachers, administrators, and support staff both in the U.S. (82%) and internationally. The survey aimed to provide insights into the current state of education, focusing on issues like workload challenges and the integration of generative AI.
Key takeaways
- About two-thirds of educators report experiencing high or critical levels of work-related stress.
- A significant majority (80%) of educators are incorporating AI tools into their classrooms.
- Nearly half (48%) of these educators use AI mainly for resource creation, with others using it for idea generation (20%) and handling administrative tasks (17%).
- Two-thirds of educators view AI as a preliminary tool (40%) or believe that resources created by humans are superior (27%). Only 7% think AI can fully meet their needs and replace resources they previously created or purchased themselves.
Educator stress is reaching a critical point
Educators are facing significant pressure, which is adversely affecting their mental health. Indeed, 60% of educators describe their current workload stress as either high (50%) or critical (10%), indicating a high potential for burnout.
Stress is particularly pronounced among teachers of elementary grades (1st-5th), who face unique challenges such as managing behavior and imparting a wide array of foundational skills.
Administrators and support staff, however, have mixed experiences of stress, with 47% finding it manageable and 45% rating it as high.
Educators see AI as a tool, not a replacement for teacher insight and creativity
Amidst rising stress levels, educators are increasingly turning to resources like AI to save time and provide support. One elementary educator shared: “My new school lacks resources and a clear curriculum, yet expectations are high. Teaching a new subject forced me to use AI for lesson planning. While I prefer human-created work, AI is essential for managing the workload.”
AI has become a regular part of educators’ routines, with many using it regularly (23%) or occasionally (35%), while nearly a quarter have experimented with it once or twice (22%). Those experiencing high stress are more inclined to utilize AI in their teaching.
Educators use AI for various purposes, primarily for creating resources (44%) and brainstorming (20%). Differentiation is a key reason for AI adoption, as many educators find that modifying resources can be challenging.
While most educators are incorporating AI into their classrooms, they recognize its limitations and continue to value human expertise. A mere 7% believe AI alone can fulfill their needs, while a majority see it as a preliminary tool (40%) or prefer human-created resources (27%). As one educator noted, “AI is great for lesson creation but should not replace teaching. My students notice the difference, which is why I use AI sparingly.”
The clear message is that although AI can reduce educators’ workload, it cannot replace the unique experience and creativity that teachers bring to the classroom.
TPT Survey Methodology
TPT distributed a 21-question survey comprising both multiple-choice and open-ended questions to active and former users on the TPT platform to gauge educators’ perspectives on the 2025-26 school year. The survey was emailed on January 22, 2026, and received responses from 11,350 educators. The margin of error stands at +/-3 percentage points. Respondent characteristics are outlined below.
| Region | |
| West | 20% |
| Midwest | 18% |
| Northeast | 16% |
| South | 28% |
| International | 18% |
| Student Grades (Respondents chose all that apply, percentages may not add to 100%) |
|
| PreK-K | 27% |
| 1-5 | 47% |
| 6-8 | 29% |
| 9-12 | 25% |
| Adult Learners | 4% |
| Other | 4% |
| Role | |
| Classroom Teacher | 81% |
| Administrator & Support Staff | 19% |
Extraordinary resources for everyday teaching
At TPT, we believe that the best ideas come from those with educational experience. Explore a vast array of exceptional ideas for every learning moment, from standards-based lesson plans to creative curricula, all vetted by educators worldwide. Browse, purchase, and begin teaching with resources that are classroom-ready, helping you save time and teach with confidence.
