The rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence is exposing a glaring disconnect in teacher preparation. While forward-thinking superintendents are rolling up their sleeves to build AI literacy among teachers, college programs tasked with preparing the next generation of educators are largely absent from the conversation. This isn’t just a missed opportunity; teachers' AI-related professional learning is an existential crisis for teacher prep programs.

From hundreds of surveys and in dozens of interviews of school leaders conducted over the last year, researchers from the Centers on Reinventing Public Education have heard a consistent message: Teachers urgently need help shifting their mindset on AI, moving from reflexive fear and resistance to curiosity and hands-on engagement with the technology. Many still see AI primarily as a tool for cheating rather than as a transformative force in education. However, AI is not going away, and teachers must understand both its potential and its risks through AI-related professional learning. Thoughtful educators are already wrestling with questions of plagiarism, bias and privacy, but they are also finding AI invaluable for reducing paperwork, tailoring instruction for different student skill levels and creating accessible documents for English learners and their families.

Beyond the classroom, teachers must also prepare students for a future workforce shaped by AI, helping them navigate a world of hallucinating chatbots and algorithm-driven decision-making. AI literacy is quickly becoming as fundamental as reading and math, yet higher education is nowhere near ready to meet this challenge.

CRPE’s latest research paints a sobering picture: Few education schools are making serious moves to incorporate AI training into teacher preparation. Faculty resistance, the inability to change longstanding institutional policies and lack of expertise about teaching with generative AI y are major barriers. Where AI is mentioned, it is usually in the context of student plagiarism rather than as a tool that could reshape teaching and learning. The result is that future K-12 teachers are entering classrooms unprepared for the AI-driven realities they will inevitably face.

Read the full article about preparing teachers to use AI by Steven Weiner and Robin Lake at The 74.