Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary

Most day-to-day paperwork for principals is already done with computer tools, but not by AI alone. For example, schools long use software to track attendance and class schedules ^[1]. Databases and spreadsheets handle budgets, purchasing, and reports ^[1].

In fact, official job data shows school administrators still spend almost all their time on non‐automated work ^[2] – computers help record‐keeping but don’t replace the person. Experts note that today’s AI mostly assists with data tasks and paperwork. It can help spot trends in enrollment or even draft sections of a report (OECD notes AI can handle planning-type tasks) ^[3], and research finds it can significantly reduce administrative workload ^[4].

However, human administrators still make the final decisions, meet with teachers and agencies, and guide students. In short, routine reporting and number-crunching are partly automated with software, but the core leadership and people-oriented tasks remain the principal’s job.

Going forward, some schools may adopt AI tools if they see clear benefits, but several factors will slow widespread use. On the one hand, budget pressures encourage efficiency – for example, past proposals even capped school admin spending ^[1] – so tools that save time or money are attractive. On the other hand, buying and running AI systems costs staff time and training.

Education must protect student data and meet laws, so leaders are careful before plugging in new tech. Major reports (OECD, etc.) emphasize that workers need new skills as AI arrives, meaning principals and staff will need training ^[3]. In practice, districts are likely to try small pilots of AI tools (for scheduling, reports, or outreach) but keep most tasks human-led.

Overall, AI is expected to augment school administrators – handling some routine analyses or drafting – while leaving key human skills (leadership, creativity, empathy) as the heart of the job.