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How exposed to AI is a Teaching Assistants, Special Education?

Of the 30 tasks O*NET lists for teaching assistants, special education, 4 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 19 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Assistant InstructorCo-TeacherEducational AssistantParaeducatorParaprofessional (Para)SPED Aide (Special Education Aide)SPED Para (Special Education Paraprofessional)SPED TA (Special Education Teacher Assistant)TA (Teacher's Assistant)Teacher's Aide
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
30
tasks rated for this occupation
43%
hold a degree, from a survey of 22
60 of 62
least protected in education

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

4
  • Assist librarians in school libraries
  • Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories, and assist students with hardware and software use
  • Prepare lesson materials, bulletin board displays, exhibits, equipment, and demonstrations
  • Prepare lesson outlines and plans in assigned subject areas and submit outlines to teachers for review

Only with software built on top

7
  • Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices
  • Observe students' performance, and record relevant data to assess progress
  • Organize and label materials and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their eye levels and perceptual skills
  • Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students' progress or problems
  • Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms
  • Take class attendance and maintain attendance records
  • Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations

Cannot be sped up

19
  • Assist in bus loading and unloading
  • Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required
  • Carry out therapeutic regimens, such as behavior modification and personal development programs, under the supervision of special education instructors, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists
  • Clean classrooms
  • Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts
  • Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students
  • Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory
  • Enforce administration policies and rules governing students
  • Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage
  • Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation
  • Laminate teaching materials to increase their durability under repeated use
  • Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development
  • Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play
  • Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud
  • Provide assistance to students with special needs
  • Requisition and stock teaching materials and supplies
  • Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips
  • Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement
  • Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.