A Third of US Teachers Considered Leaving Education Due to Grading Workload, Says New Research by Learnosity

• On average, teachers spend 9.9 hours per week—more than a full workday—grading assignments
• Almost two-thirds (62%) of teachers say grading is one of the worst aspects of their job

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New research released from edtech leader Learnosity, has revealed that a third of US teachers have considered leaving their jobs in the last 12 months due to the overwhelming burden of grading.

The research highlights just how severe the problem has become. A third of teachers report that grading responsibilities leave them exhausted (34%), and overwhelmed (26%), affecting their personal lives.

On average, teachers spend 9.9 hours a week—more than a full workday— marking assignments with the majority (95%) forced to take grading work home with them.

Almost two-thirds (62%) identify grading as one of the worst aspects of being a teacher.

In response, educators are open to adopting AI-based solutions to ease workloads.

75% of teachers say they would be open to using an AI-powered tool if it could cut their grading workload in half. Half (50%) of teachers believe reducing grading responsibilities would help lower stress and burnout. Additionally, 43% say it would improve their work-life balance.

Gavin Cooney, Founder and CEO of Learnosity, said, "As a former lecturer, I know firsthand the immense pressure educators face and how grading can consume their time. The data is clear: teachers are reaching their limits, so we need to act now if we want to keep passionate teachers in the profession. AI-powered grading is part of the answer—and it’s no longer a futuristic idea, it’s a solved problem. But we shouldn't ask teachers to adopt new tools that create more administrative burden. Instead, we should be simplifying the experience by upgrading the platforms teachers already use. Every learning platform can integrate AI grading technology today—and educators should demand it."

Feedback Aide, an AI-powered grading tool, is designed to seamlessly integrate with existing learning platforms, offering transparent, rubric-based grading that helps automate time-consuming tasks. By streamlining the grading process, Feedback Aide empowers teachers to spend more time on lesson planning, student engagement, and personal well-being.

Nearly a third of teachers considering leaving the profession due to grading demands (32%), and 56% reporting that grading workloads have increased over the past year, the need for a solution has never been greater. With access to AI-powered feedback, teachers can have more control over where they spend their time.

Gavin adds, “While grading isn’t the only challenge teachers face; it’s something we can address now. Not only able to reduce workloads, Feedback Aide can also enhance teaching quality by providing accurate, personalized and meaningful feedback – resulting in better learning outcomes.”

By leveraging AI-powered solutions schools and educators have the opportunity to reduce burnout, improve job satisfaction, retain talent and ultimately enhance the learning experience for students.

About Feedback Aide: learnosity.com

About Learnosity

Learnosity is the global leader in AI-optimized assessment solutions. Serving over 750 customers and more than 40 million learners, its mission is to advance education and learning worldwide with best-in-class technology.

Learnosity’s API-backed, AI-enriched assessment engine makes it easy for modern learning platforms to quickly launch fully featured products, scale on demand, and always meet fast-evolving market needs.

Research

258 teachers from America were surveyed online by Perspectus Global between 8 and 10 January 2025.

Perspectus surveys adhere to MRS code of conduct and are GDPR compliant. The respondents in this case were geographically validated and had express opt in. There were also digital fingerprinting checks in place.