Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify a quote by Amber Zavicar.
Parents and educators see data literacy as an important skill—especially in the age of artificial intelligence—but feel schools do not offer enough opportunities to learn it, a new survey shows.
Data literacy is critical at this moment in time because it teaches students to question, evaluate, interpret, and communicate information effectively, said Zarek Drozda, the executive director of Data Science for Everyone, one of the organizations that conducted the survey.
In a workforce that is quickly expanding its use of artificial intelligence, data literacy is more important than ever, he added. “When it comes to AI tools, [students] have to know how to question where underlying data comes from, what might be wrong with it, and whether it’s applied correctly to the problem they’re wrestling with,” said Drozda. “That’s how we enact critical thinking in a world of AI capabilities and digital technology.”
The survey by Mathematica and Data Science for Everyone—which was conducted in February and March of this year and included 1,333 parents and educators in Colorado, Louisiana, and Tennessee—found that 88% said all students should be data literate before graduating high school and 76% said AI has made learning this skill even more important. A little more than half, 58%, said schools provide opportunities to develop this skill.
Part of the challenge in teaching these skills is that data literacy isn’t mandated across the country. As of 2025, six states had adopted a data literacy learning standard, 11 included it in their state course catalogs, and 12 offer a pilot course or teacher professional development for it.
But many teachers are supportive of integrating data literacy into the curriculum, whether it be through a data science course or integrated into other subjects, said Amber Zavicar, a K-12 math specialist for the Genesee Intermediate School District in Flint, Mich.
“Students and our education community are starting to use data science skills and data sets to really critically think about how AI should be used for the best teaching and learning,” said Zavicar.
The hurdles to creating data literacy learning opportunities at school
The survey also found that 84 percent of educators and parents believe data literacy should be integrated across multiple subjects, not just math or computer science.
Part of the challenge in doing that is that conversations and decisions about integrating data literacy and AI learning into core subjects too often happen in subject area silos, according to Drozda.
“Math education conversations happen in a different silo than the future of learning AI conversations, and those need to be connected,” said Drozda. “We have to bring [core academics] to life in this new [AI-driven] era and double down on some of the core academic skills that matter most in synthesis with technology.”
How data science skills can help students in the long run
Zavicar said that data science is a modern way of thinking about mathematics and how it can apply to everyday life. The survey found that 84% of educators and parents believe data skills are important for informed civic participation.
Data science has the power to explain things beyond what’s in the mathematical formula—it can help connect math with what’s going on in the world.
For example, Zavicar said, “If a city or community has historically had unhealthy water systems—we can actually use mathematics [and data science] to start to dig into [why].”
Zavicar said she has seen students take it a step further and use data literacy strategies to develop arguments against the integration of AI into schools.
Students “are really digging into data sets that they’re interested in, particularly around things like the environment, cognitive thinking, and how the use of AI impacts the brain,” she said.
