The number of U.S. school districts providing training for teachers on artificial intelligence technologies has more than doubled in the span of a year, with 48 percent of districts offering at least some AI training by fall 2024 – up from just 23 percent the year before.
That’s according to an April 8 report from the American School District Panel (ASDP), which is a research partnership between RAND and the Center on Reinventing Public Education.
The surge in AI training reflects accelerating efforts by K–12 systems to equip educators with the skills and confidence to use generative AI tools like ChatGPT in the classroom, the report finds.
Looking ahead, the ASDP report finds that another 26 percent of districts reported planned to roll out training by the end of the 2024–2025 school year – putting the nation on pace for about three-quarters of districts to provide teacher training on AI by fall 2025.
The findings are based on a representative survey of nearly 300 school districts across the country. The results align with a separate December 2024 Federal survey of school principals, which found that 59 percent of schools had trained at least some of their teachers on AI.
The report also highlights ongoing disparities: while 67 percent of low-poverty districts had trained teachers by fall 2024, only 39 percent of high-poverty districts had done so – suggesting a widening digital divide in professional development.
Interviews with school district leaders revealed that early trainings focused not on specific software, but on reducing fear of the technology. Many teachers expressed concern, for instance, about AI replacing instruction or enabling student cheating.
One school superintendent said the goal was “to lower the fear, lower the anxiety about students using it and encourage [teachers] to use it in whatever capacity . . . just play around with it, mess around with it.”
According to the report, school districts took a largely opt-in approach, using formats ranging from full-day workshops to quick video tutorials and peer-led sessions. Some integrated AI into existing professional development programs, while others offered specialized events for interested teachers.
Despite the growing use of AI among educators, most districts have not yet addressed student use of AI tools in training, the report says. Leaders cited a phased approach, focusing first on teacher readiness before expanding discussions to classroom policies and student ethics.
