Will adapted physical education specialists be replaced by AI?
Updated
Adapted physical education specialists score 42 out of 100 for AI exposure. AI helps with 49% of their task time, and they stay in charge. AI can do another 18%. 33% needs a person.
- 18% AI can do it
- 49% AI helps
- 33% Needs a person
Moderate exposure
Higher than 56% of the 923 jobs we scored.
Task by task
We graded 20 tasks, most exposed first. AI can do 4 of them, helps with 10 and leaves 6 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Write reports to summarize student performance, social growth, or physical development. Summarizing performance and growth into reports is strong text generation work. | 72% AI can do it |
| Maintain thorough student records to document attendance, participation, or progress, ensuring confidentiality of all records. Digital attendance and progress records are routine and AI can maintain. | 70% AI can do it |
| Prepare lesson plans in accordance with individualized education plans (IEPs) and the functional abilities or needs of students. Lesson plans tied to IEP goals can be drafted quickly; teacher reviews. | 68% AI can do it |
| Request or order physical education equipment, following standard procedures. Standard equipment requests follow set forms and can be filled automatically. | 65% AI can do it |
| Write or modify individualized education plans (IEPs) for students with intellectual or physical disabilities. AI can draft IEP language from data; team and legal sign-off remain. | 60% AI helps |
| Communicate behavioral observations and student progress reports to students, parents, teachers, or administrators. AI can draft progress communications; staff tailor and deliver them. | 55% AI helps |
| Review adapted physical education programs or practices to ensure compliance with government or other regulations. AI can check programs against rules; staff interpret and decide compliance. | 55% AI helps |
| Advise education professionals of students' physical abilities or disabilities and the accommodations required to enhance their school performance. AI can draft advice on abilities and accommodations; teacher verifies and sends. | 50% AI helps |
| Assist in screening or placement of students in adapted physical education programs. Screening paperwork and data review are AI-assisted; observation stays human. | 40% AI helps |
| Assess students' physical progress or needs. Physical testing is hands-on, but data logging and analysis can be AI-assisted. | 35% AI helps |
Show the other 10 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Evaluate the motor needs of individual students to determine their need for adapted physical education services. Direct motor observation is human; summarizing findings can be AI-assisted. | 30% AI helps |
| Maintain inventory of instructional equipment, materials, or aids. Physical counting is manual; inventory tracking software helps with records. | 30% AI helps |
| Adapt instructional techniques to the age and skill levels of students. AI can suggest adaptations, but live pacing and adjustments need the teacher. | 25% AI helps |
| Collaborate with other educational personnel to provide inclusive activities or programs for children with disabilities. Coordination and planning meetings are partly assisted; inclusive activities need people. | 25% AI helps |
| Attend in-service training, workshops, or meetings to keep abreast of current practices or trends in adapted physical education. Attending workshops in person is human; only note summaries can be AI. | 15% Needs a person |
| Provide students positive feedback to encourage them and help them develop an appreciation for physical education. Live encouragement depends on in-person interaction with students. | 10% Needs a person |
| Establish and maintain standards of behavior to create safe, orderly, and effective environments for learning. Live classroom behavior management requires in-person presence and judgment. | 8% Needs a person |
| Instruct students, using adapted physical education techniques, to improve physical fitness, gross motor skills, perceptual motor skills, or sports and game achievement. Hands-on physical instruction with students in gyms or fields. | 5% Needs a person |
| Provide adapted physical education services to students with intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, or other disabling condition. Hands-on services for students with disabilities need physical presence and care. | 5% Needs a person |
| Provide individual or small groups of students with adapted physical education instruction that meets desired physical needs or goals. Direct physical instruction for individuals or small groups. | 4% Needs a person |
How adapted physical education specialists compare
All jobs (923)
Educational instruction and library (62)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $76,580 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 33,930 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +1.9% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Hold a state adapted physical education teaching credential
- Write IEP present levels and goals in IEP software
- Lead IEP team meetings and sign off physical education goals
- Teach gross motor skills to students one-on-one in gyms
- Review AI-drafted lesson plans against each student's IEP goals
- Build progress charts from student data in Microsoft Excel
Safer roles nearby
5 related jobs with lower scores.
Questions about adapted physical education specialists and AI
Will AI replace adapted physical education specialists?
Partly. About 3 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly writing performance reports and keeping student attendance and progress records. Hands-on instruction and encouragement stay with specialists because they need a person in the gym with each student.
Which tasks will AI take over for adapted physical education specialists?
Writing performance reports leads with an exposure score of 72, because summarizing growth data is strong text generation work. Maintaining attendance and progress records follows at 70, since digital logs are routine. Lesson plans drafted from IEP goals score 68 and still need teacher review before use.
Which tasks stay with adapted physical education specialists?
Providing adapted instruction to individuals or small groups scores 4, the lowest in the job, because it needs hands-on work with students. Teaching gross motor skills scores 5, and serving students with autism or orthopedic impairments also scores 5 for the same reason. Positive feedback scores 10 because it depends on in-person interaction.
How can adapted physical education specialists stay valuable?
Lead the IEP meeting and take responsibility for the goals in IEP software, since team and legal sign-off remain human decisions. Check every AI-drafted lesson plan against each student's functional abilities before class. Spend the hours saved on hands-on instruction in the gym, and keep a state adapted physical education credential current.
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