Overworked and understaffed: Special ed teachers turn to AI for help

Mary Acebu, a special education teacher at Riverview Middle School in Bay Point, California, previously spent long hours preparing for students due to heavy paperwork demands. After adopting AI tools two years ago, she now uses the saved time to focus on student relationships and instruction, noting progress in students like King, who went from a non-reader to reading independently. The U.S. faces a severe shortage of special education teachers, with 45 states reporting shortages in the 2024-25 school year, particularly in low-income schools. Legally required paperwork, including IEPs—mandated for over 8 million students with disabilities—contributes to teacher burnout. A 2025 survey by the Center for Democracy and Technology found 57% of special education teachers used AI to draft IEPs, up from 39% the prior year. While AI raises privacy and ethical concerns, research from the University of Virginia and University of Central Florida shows it can produce IEPs of equal or higher quality when used properly. Olivia Coleman, a UCF professor studying AI in special education, emphasized that more teacher-student interaction leads to better outcomes for disabled students. Acebu’s experience aligns with these findings: her students thrive with personalized attention, such as speech-to-text technology and tailored learning plans. IEPs, required by federal law, outline annual goals and services for each student, ensuring progress beyond academic needs. The shift to AI-assisted IEPs reflects a broader trend of educators balancing efficiency with student-centered teaching in understaffed schools.