Nearly every sector has been impacted by the growth of and access to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), and K-12 education is certainly no exception. Research and anecdotal evidence are both emerging, showing how teachers, administrators, and students are putting tools powered by GenAI to the test and exploring the benefits for instruction, learning, and even school operations. The experiences of early adopters, which typically include innovative school districts and curious educators, tend to bubble up first, and SCORE has had the opportunity to learn from a few of these stand-out practitioners.
But how is AI being used by educators across Tennessee, and how many school districts are already implementing new practices as a result of AI being accessible? We decided to ask.
In spring 2025, SCORE partnered with the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS) and the Tennessee State Board of Education to develop and launch a survey that asked all 147 districts whether and/or how their educators are using AI. We received 86 district leader responses, which led to rich and valuable insights around use cases, training provided, perceived benefits, and also concerns and support still needed. Three-fourths of responses came from superintendents or directors, with other responses submitted by district technology or academic leadership familiar with AI use in their districts. Overall, we learned that Tennessee educators are using AI in ways that are supporting educator workstreams and practices and student learning, and while training on AI is being provided for many, additional support and guidance is needed.
Key Takeaways
AI use is widespread: Importantly, 85% of respondents reported their educators are using AI, and almost one-quarter use AI “often.” These early insights confirm that AI has taken root in Tennessee education and has proven to be worthy of educators investing their time and other resources to explore the potential benefits of this technology.
AI is supporting both educators and students: Three-quarters of district leaders observed educators using AI to reduce teacher workload, and, similarly, 84% view reducing time spent on administrative tasks as the biggest benefit of AI in education. AI is seen as supporting efficiency in work and saving educators time, even in these early stages. Supporting the student experience through personalized learning (75%), improved student engagement (67%), and enhanced student learning outcomes (63%) are additional perceived benefits of AI by district leaders.
AI safeguards are top of mind: Understandably, the rapid rise of new technology elicits both optimism because of its benefits and concerns of which we should be cautious. Most district leaders are concerned about AI being used for cheating/plagiarism (84%), and approximately three-quarters have concerns related to privacy/ethics and the lack of training/support. Curriculum integration (24%) and technical issues (11%) related to AI are not stand-out challenges for district leaders — a noticeable shift from just a few years ago when integrating education technology during the pandemic.
AI training is being prioritized: An exciting learning revealed that nearly two-thirds of responding districts have provided training on the use of AI in the past school year, indicating that local leaders are responding to educators’ interest in and use of AI by providing resources. Still, a significant majority of district leaders voiced that additional professional development (85%), best practice guidance (82%), and recommendations for AI tools and programs (72%) are needed to be successful.
AI policies need visibility and focus: For some districts, leaning into the implementation of AI has been responsive to bottom-up use from early adopters; for others, more systematic AI implementation at the district level came from 2024 legislation requiring local boards of education to adopt an AI policy. Survey respondents’ knowledge of their district’s AI policy varied, and half believe support and training deserves additional focus in their local policy, along with about 40% advocating for more focus on data privacy, security, and the opportunity for innovation that AI presents.
Tennessee school districts have largely embraced GenAI’s presence in education in ways that benefit teachers, administrators, and students. Access to training, support, and resources – on the whole being requested by district leaders — will in turn work to mitigate concerns held by districts as they navigate this new age of technology. As AI advances and the market of available tools broadens, guidance is needed to support local decision-making. We have more to learn about AI in Tennessee education, including its impact on student outcomes and the rollout of local pilots, among others.
To learn more, watch the recording of our recent SCORE Institute, How Tennessee School Districts are Using AI, where we facilitated a panel discussion with Tennessee education and research leaders to learn more about state trends in practice and local use cases.