AI Is Grading Your Kid’s Homework (Seriously)

Do you need to get involved?

May 19, 2025

Today’s Summary!

The pressure on teachers is immense, and some are turning to AI for a seemingly quick fix: grading student work. But is this efficiency coming at too high a cost for our children's learning and sense of value? We’re breaking down:

  • The alarming trend of AI being used for grading and why it's happening.

  • What research says about AI's accuracy (or lack thereof) in evaluating student understanding.

  • How parents can navigate this new challenge and advocate for meaningful assessment.

 AI Grading: A Shortcut Too Far for Our Kids?

There's a new controversy percolating in schools, and it's not whether children should be using AI, but whether teachers should, too.

More specifically: Should teachers let AI grade your child's work?

It might sound like a timesaver for overworked teachers, but it's causing some real concerns. Are we giving up accuracy, fairness, and—most importantly—how children feel about learning?

A recent Futurism article cut to the chase:

"Teachers Having AI Grade Their Students' Work Sends a Blunt Message: They Don't Count, and Soon Won't Be Needed."

Harsh? Yes. But it says something that is real. Some teachers, tired of students using AI to generate assignments, are now doing the same, having AI grade them. Others are trying to use it for good, like customizing learning assignments. But that raises an even bigger question…

Is AI actually good enough to grade our kids' work?

Let's take a look at the facts:

Researchers at the University of Georgia tried out an AI system called Mixtral. They tasked it with grading real middle school homework.

Here's what they found:

When the AI made up its own rules? It only got it right 33.5% of the time.

When human graders gave it a grading guide? It improved. but only to just over 50% accuracy.

Let's put this into perspective: That's as good as flipping a coin.

The issue isn't that AI makes mistakes. It's that it makes them in a particular way. AI tends to keyword-scan to conclude that the student actually understands abstract things. But human instructors get to the root of it. They can see when a kid really comprehends or when they just filled in the right buzzword.

But this is bigger than precision. When a child's work is graded by a computer that doesn't quite understand what they're saying, it sends a dangerous message:

"Your voice doesn't matter. Nobody's really listening."

Worse yet?

AI systems have a well-documented habit of “hallucinating”. It can make up facts that sound convincing but aren’t actually true.

When those systems are used to evaluate students, it’s not just about accuracy anymore. It’s about trust, credibility, and the message we’re sending our kids about who’s really paying attention.

Because at the end of the day, beyond just learning the material, it’s just as important that students—our children—feel seen, heard, and understood.

AI Parenting Resource of the Day

Here’s what you can do as a parent when it comes to teachers using AI:

Teachers are working hard, and this isn't about blaming them. It’s about talking about these new tools and making sure they help kids learn, not hurt their education.

  1. Talk to Your Child’s School: Ask if they use AI for grading. If they do, ask how they make sure it’s fair and if teachers still check the grades.

  2. Talk to Your Child: Help them understand that real human feedback is important. Encourage them to ask questions if they don’t understand a grade.

  3. Think About AI’s Role: Talk with your child about when AI is helpful and when a human is better. What are the good and bad sides of using AI in school?

  4. Support Human Teachers: Remind everyone how important teachers are for understanding students, encouraging them, and helping them love learning. These are things AI can’t do.

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