Artificial intelligence is becoming a staple in American classrooms. During the 2024–25 school year, more than 60% of U.S. public school teachers reported using AI daily to help plan lessons, adapt materials, communicate with families and streamline administrative tasks, according to a recent survey by the Gallup–Walton Family Foundation.
As AI tools become more common in day-to-day classroom practice, expectations for educators are evolving, with AI literacy emerging as a foundational professional competency rather than an advanced or optional skill.
How states are responding to AI in education
State legislatures are beginning to reflect the growing presence of AI in classrooms through new policy efforts. In 2025, lawmakers in 21 states introduced more than 50 bills focused on AI in education. Many of these bills called for teacher training, professional development and clear guidelines for AI use in schools, according to data from the Center for Democracy and Technology.
In October 2024, California passed Assembly Bill 2876, which requires the Instructional Quality Commission to integrate AI literacy into curriculum frameworks for math, science and history —social science. In October 2025, the Virginia Department of Education issued a statewide Request for Information seeking a “comprehensive AI literacy training program for K–12 educators” to promote responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence and to upskill educators, students and administrators to meet the evolving demands of a technology-driven educational landscape.
Momentum is also building at the federal level. In February 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor announced new guidance and investments focused on expanding access to AI-related training and workforce development, signaling increased federal attention to how emerging technologies are taught, learned and used responsibly across education and training systems.
AI adoption is outpacing teacher preparation
Despite growing legislative attention, there remains a wide gap between policy intent and day-to-day educator support. While a majority of teachers reported using AI tools during the 2024–25 school year, most have not received formal training on how to use them effectively or responsibly, and only 19% said their school had an AI policy, according to Gallup.
Introducing AI into schools without sufficient preparation carries risk. Teachers may unknowingly share sensitive student data with AI tools or rely on AI-generated content that contains factual errors or bias. Inconsistent understanding across staff can lead to uneven learning experiences for students.
Adding to the challenge is a lack of visibility. Most state and district leaders lack objective, system-level data on how teachers are using AI, how proficient they are or whether those tools are being applied responsibly. Without these insights, it is difficult to design effective professional development, ensure compliance with privacy laws or establish consistent guardrails.
How districts can gain clarity
To address this data gap, ETS’s Praxis program launched Futurenav™ Adapt AI for teachers, a research-backed assessment that measures how educators use AI in real-world, K–12 scenarios. Adapt AI comprises three integrated modules that together evaluate an educator’s AI literacy across four key competency areas:
- Recognizing and understanding AI
- Navigating AI ethically
- Evaluating AI outputs
- And applying AI in daily classroom workflows
Teachers engage in real-world tasks, such as integrating AI into lesson planning, identifying hallucinations, and detecting bias, and receive immediate, contextual feedback on individual strengths and areas for growth.
Adapt AI also offers teachers a “space to play”: a safe, low-stakes environment to explore how AI tools work, helping build confidence and deepen understanding.
For districts, the results generated by Adapt AI provide actionable insights into patterns of AI use across schools. Leaders can identify where additional support is needed, target professional development more precisely, and make informed decisions about training, policy, and technology adoption.
As AI becomes foundational to teaching practice, districts must be able to measure educator AI readiness with clarity and confidence. Adapt AI for teachers was designed to meet this need. To learn more, visit: https://praxis.ets.org/adapt-ai.html.