Can AI accurately help teachers’ grading turnaround time? 

By Tessa Dodson, Senior writer, Classrooms

Many schools are adopting AI to assist with daily workloads such as grading and assessment tasks. 

Internationally, many institutions have found AI-assisted grading tools to be helpful in streamlining marking processes and providing timely feedback. 

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However, teachers are wondering if AI grading can effectively reduce marking time while maintaining accuracy. The answer is yes, but only to a certain extent.

AI grading can offer genuine time-saving benefits, but only when educators support its use with clear structures, human oversight and well-defined school policies. 

Time-saving benefits of AI grading for teachers 

A significant advantage of AI grading is its ability to help teachers decrease the time spent grading. 

AI performs best when tasks have clear answers or well-defined criteria, such as short responses, quizzes or structured assessment tasks.

In these cases, it can apply consistent marking across large groups of students quickly and efficiently, reducing the repetitive workload that often comes with traditional grading. 

Related School News article: AI tools for teaching and learning: Embracing technology to enhance workflow

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) has seen improvements from AI grading firsthand. In 2025, it used AI for marking writing literacy assessments and was able to return results to students 3.5 weeks earlier than the year before.   

AI tools can automate parts of the grading process, including analysing assignments, identifying patterns in performance and generating feedback. This approach helps teachers move through marking workflows more efficiently while maintaining control over final decisions. For example, it can: 

• Offer initial feedback on drafts within minutes. 

• Highlight common errors across a class. 

• Suggest assessment scores for review. 

By delegating these tasks to AI, teachers can also achieve faster feedback cycles. With a quick turnaround time, students can act on feedback while the learning is still recent and relevant. 

Limitations to consider  

Despite its time-saving benefits, AI has clear limitations when it comes to precise and reliable grading. Its accuracy depends heavily on structured rubrics, which are marking guides created by teachers that outline expectations and achievement levels.

These rubrics provide the framework AI uses to interpret student responses. The accuracy rate is above 50 percent when teachers apply them to the marking process.

Without them, it drops to around 33.5 percent. These figures show that human input remains essential for ensuring reliable and valid assessment outcomes. 

Additionally, AI still struggles with subjective judgment.

For example, it is less reliable when evaluating subjective work such as essays or creative tasks. AI often fails to fully interpret dimensions like meaning, tone and originality.

There are also ethical concerns, including bias in algorithmic outputs and risks related to student data privacy, which require careful management in school settings. 

Implementing AI grading effectively 

AI grading tools can significantly improve workflow efficiency.

However, they are most effective when used as a supporting system rather than a replacement for teachers. To successfully implement AI grading processes, educational institutions need to begin with a clear structure. Guidelines can include:  

• Using AI as a supporting marking and feedback tool, with teachers retaining final grading decisions. 

• Having clear educator-designed rubrics to ensure consistency. 

• Incorporating moderation procedures to minimise errors, bias and inappropriate AI-generated output. 

• Using data protection tools and secure platforms to protect students’ privacy. 

• Establishing AI use regulations for teachers and students. 

These measures ensure AI is used in a controlled and transparent way, supporting educators rather than replacing their professional expertise. 

Finding the right balance 

The most effective strategy for AI grading is a balanced approach.

While AI can significantly improve grading turnaround times, it cannot fully replace an educator’s professional assessment of a student’s work. Its success relies on a clear structure, like well-defined rubrics and consistent oversight.  

It is good for teachers to use AI as a support tool to reduce the administrative workload that comes with grading. The key is to ensure that speed and efficiency gains don’t overtake the quality and accuracy of the assessment process.