Will substitute teachers be replaced by AI?
Updated
Substitute teachers score 31 of 100 for AI exposure. 57% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do 3% today and speed up another 40%.
- 3% AI can do it
- 40% AI helps
- 57% Needs a person
Moderate exposure
Lower than 60% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 18 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 1 of them today, speeds up 6 and leaves 11 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Grade students' assignments and exams. AI can grade most objective and written work with review. | 70% AI can do it |
| Take class attendance and maintain attendance records. Digital rosters automate records, but calling names is in person. | 50% AI helps |
| Answer students' questions. AI can suggest answers, but sub still responds to students live. | 40% AI helps |
| Tutor or assist students individually or in small groups. AI tutors can support content, but assistance is in person. | 35% AI helps |
| Operate equipment such as computers or audio-visual aids to supplement presentations. AI can guide setup, but operating hardware stays hands on. | 35% AI helps |
| Follow lesson plans designed by absent teachers. AI can summarize plans, but delivery stays live in class. | 30% AI helps |
| Teach a variety of subjects, such as English, mathematics, and social studies. AI helps prepare content, but live teaching stays with sub. | 25% AI helps |
| Teach social skills to students, such as communication, conflict resolution, and etiquette. Social skills coaching depends on live human interaction and modeling. | 12% Needs a person |
| Counsel students with adjustment or academic problems. Counseling needs empathy, trust and in person care. | 12% Needs a person |
| Enforce school and class rules to maintain order in the classroom. Discipline needs physical presence and live judgement with students. | 10% Needs a person |
Show the other 8 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Distribute or collect tests or homework assignments. Handing out and collecting papers is physical work. | 10% Needs a person |
| Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to improve professional competence. Attending conferences and workshops requires being physically present. | 8% Needs a person |
| Restock teaching materials or supplies. Restocking physical supplies is hands on work in classrooms. | 6% Needs a person |
| Supervise students during activities outside the classroom, such as recess, lunch, and field trips. Supervising recess, lunch and trips requires physical presence and safety. | 5% Needs a person |
| Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students. Handing out materials is physical work in the room. | 5% Needs a person |
| Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities. Running games and recreation needs physical supervision and movement. | 5% Needs a person |
| Provide students with disabilities with assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms. Hands on care and device help need physical presence. | 4% Needs a person |
| Assist students with boarding or exiting school buses. Bus boarding help is physical work with children on site. | 2% Needs a person |
How substitute teachers compare
All occupations (923)
Educational instruction and library (62)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $41,670 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 524,770 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +2.0% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Follow posted lesson plans in Google Classroom and Schoology
- Run Seesaw and Flipgrid activities for students in class
- Keep attendance and roster records in Microsoft Excel
- Hold a state substitute teaching license or permit
- Supervise recess, lunch, and field trips in person
- Handle assistive device and accessibility help for students with disabilities
Safer roles nearby
4 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about substitute teachers and AI
Will AI replace substitute teachers?
Partly. About 2 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly grading assignments and keeping attendance records. Teaching live, calling names, answering students in the room, and supervising children on site stay with the person in front of the class.
Which tasks is AI taking over for substitute teachers?
Grading assignments and exams has the highest exposure at 70, and AI can grade most objective and written work with review. Attendance records follow at 50, since digital rosters fill them automatically. Answering student questions at 40 is partly automated, with AI suggesting answers that the substitute still delivers live.
Which tasks stay human for substitute teachers?
Supervising recess, lunch, and field trips scores 5 on exposure because it needs physical presence and safety. Helping students with disabilities scores 4 because hands-on device help and restroom access need a person on site. Restocking supplies scores 6 and stays hands on in the classroom.
How do substitute teachers stay valuable?
Work fluently in Google Classroom, Schoology, and Moodle to follow the regular teacher's plans. Run Seesaw or Flipgrid activities the absent teacher set up. Keep clean attendance and roster notes in Microsoft Excel. Spend your time on in-person supervision, student questions, and small-group help.
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