Computers have been grading multiple-choice tests in schools for years. To the relief of English teachers everywhere, essays have been tougher to gauge. But look out, teachers: A new study finds ...

Imagine a school where every child gets instant, personalized writing help for a fraction of the cost of hiring a human teacher — and where a computer, not a person, grades a student's essays ...

Not everyone is thrilled, however. Some observers worry that using computers to grade student essays could signal a back-door attempt to reduce faculty rolls even further.

Developers say they understand why teachers would be skeptical. But, they insist, computers already drive cars and detect cancer, so they can certainly handle grading students' essays.

"I used to encourage my students to use the introduction of their AIR test essays to 'wake up' the human assessor who had probably already read dozens of essays about the same topic. Now, I must ...

Students work on computers in Henderson, Nev. Several states including Utah and Ohio use automated grading on student essays written as part of standardized tests. Listen More States Opting To ...