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Snapshot

Snapshot

Career Cluster: Education & Training; Human Services

Interests: Teaching, education, preparing lessons, child development, student care, psychology

Earnings (Yearly Average): $56,920

Employment & Outlook: Slower Than Average Growth Expected


Profile

Profile

Working Conditions: Work Indoors

Physical Strength: Light Work

Education Needs: Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree

Licensure/Certification: Required

Physical Abilities Not Required: No Heavy Labor

Opportunities For Experience: Internship, Volunteer Work, Part-Time Work

Holland Interest Score*: SEC

[1] * See Appendix A


Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Planning curricula and preparing lessons

  • Arranging and adjusting tools, work aids and equipment used by students in classrooms

  • Conferring with other staff members and professionals to develop programs to make the most of the students' potential

  • Instructing students in subject areas

  • Observing, evaluating and preparing reports on the progress of students

  • Conferring with and reporting to parents pertaining to students' programs and adjustments


Relevant Skills and Abilities

Relevant Skills and Abilities

Communication Skills

  • Expressing thoughts and ideas

  • Speaking effectively

  • Writing concisely

Interpersonal/Social Skills

  • Being flexible

  • Being sensitive to others

  • Providing support to others

Organization & Management Skills

  • Coordinating tasks

  • Making decisions

  • Managing people/groups

Research & Planning Skills

  • Using logical reasoning


Famous First

Famous First

The first nationally mandated program to integrate students with special needs into regular school systems (rather than teach them in separate facilities) came with amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1997. The act formally recognized the concept of “inclusion,” or “inclusive education,” reflecting an interest among educators and the public in “mainstreaming” students with disabilities.

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Careers in Human Services

Special Education Teacher

by Simone Isadora Flynn

Overview

Sphere of Work

Special education teachers are teaching professionals that focus on the educational needs of students with physical, emotional, cognitive, or behavioral special needs. Special education teachers may be generalists with knowledge and talents in a wide range of subjects and special needs. Alternatively, they may have an academic specialization and training with speech impairment, hearing problems, language delays, mental retardation, seizures, orthopedic impairment, visual impairments, autism, traumatic brain injuries, or learning disabilities. Special education teachers help to develop and provide the services of the individualized education plans (IEP) for every child in the public school system with documented special needs.

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Work Environment

Special education teachers work in schools designed to meet to the social and educational needs of mainstream and special needs children. They work at all grade levels in both public and private school settings. Some special education teachers work in discrete special needs classrooms focusing on one age level or type of special need such as autism or physical disabilities. Others work in integrated special needs classrooms with students of many ages and special needs. Still others work in classrooms that have integrated mainstream and special needs students working alongside one another. Classrooms have different types and amounts of resources, such as art supplies, music lessons, and physical education facilities. The resources available depend on the financial resources of the school and district as well as the educational philosophy directing the curriculum.

Occupation Interest

Individuals drawn to special education tend to be intelligent, resourceful, creative, patient, and caring. Special education teachers, who instruct and nurture students with special needs, should find satisfaction in spending long hours interacting with and instructing children. They should be physically fit and able to move, lift, and carry students with physical disabilities as well as physically redirect students with behavioral or emotional problems. Successful special education teachers excel at communication and problem solving.

A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities

A special education teacher's daily duties and responsibilities include planning, teaching, classroom preparation, student care, family outreach, school duties, and professional development.

Special education teachers prepare and teach lessons, modify the mainstream curriculum for students with special needs, and buy or secure donations for classroom or project supplies. They assign homework and projects, teach good study habits and life skills, grade student work, provide students with special needs accommodations (such as extra test time and homework modification), and maintain accurate academic and behavioral records for all students.

Classroom preparation and cleaning may include labeling materials, organizing desk and work areas, displaying student work on bulletin boards and display boards, and, depending on janitorial support, cleaning up and sanitizing at the end of the school day.

Special education teachers greet students as they arrive in the classroom, engage in student behavior modification and redirection, and promote a supportive learning environment. They also maintain student safety and health, provide appropriate levels of discipline in the classroom and school environment, build student cooperation and listening skills, and work to present lessons in multiple ways to accommodate diverse learning styles.

Some special education teachers may greet student families at school drop off and dismissal times and use a student school-family communication notebook. All teachers must communicate regularly with families about student health, experience, and performance.

Special education teachers attend staff meetings and meetings with family and social workers. They lead IEP development and review meetings and coordinate special education and mainstream classrooms. They also enforce school policies and participate in peer mentoring. Their professional development duties include attendance at professional meetings, continued training, and recertification as needed.

Special education teachers work daily to meet the needs of all students, families, fellow teachers, and school administrators. All special education teachers must adhere to the educational standards and rights described in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Occupation Specialties

Teachers of Physically Impaired Students

Teachers of Physically Impaired Students instruct students in the elementary and secondary levels who are physically impaired. They evaluate students' abilities to determine the best training program for each individual.

Teachers of the Mentally Impaired

Teachers of the Mentally Impaired teach social skills and/or basic academic subjects in schools, hospitals and other institutions to mentally impaired students.

Teachers of the Hearing Impaired

Teachers of the Hearing Impaired teach elementary and secondary school subjects and special skills to deaf or hard-of-hearing students using lip reading, manual communication or total communication.

Teachers of the Visually Impaired

Teachers of the Visually Impaired teach elementary and secondary school subjects to visually-impaired and blind students using large-print materials and/or the Braille system.

Teachers of the Emotionally Impaired

Teachers of the Emotionally Impaired teach elementary and secondary school subjects including education on socially acceptable behavior to students with emotional impairments.

Work Environment

Physical Environment

A special education teacher works primarily in the classroom. Special education teachers may have the autonomy and responsibility to modify the classroom layout and curriculum to meet the academic and social needs of students with special needs. They generally work forty-hour weeks and follow an annual academic schedule with ample winter, spring, and summer vacations. Summer teaching opportunities in summer school and camps are common.

Human Environment

Special education teachers are in constant contact with students with physical, cognitive, or emotional challenges as well as with families, social workers, therapists, school administrators, and fellow teachers. They must be comfortable working with people from a wide range of backgrounds and able to incorporate lessons on diversity and differences into their teaching.

Technological Environment

Special education teachers use a wide variety of adaptive and instructional technologies, such as touch screens and communication devices. Special education teachers should be comfortable using Internet communication tools and teaching students to use educational software. They also often help students to use and care for adaptive technologies such as wheelchairs, orthotics, hearing and feeding aids, and dressing aids.

Education, Training, and Advancement

High School/Secondary

High school students interested in becoming special education teachers should develop good study habits. Interested high school students should take a broad range of courses in education, anatomy, psychology, child development, science, math, history, language arts, physical education, and the arts. Those interested in the field of education may benefit from seeking internships or part-time work with special needs children at camps and afterschool programs.

Suggested High School Subjects

  • Arts

  • Audio-Visual

  • Biology

  • Child Growth & Development

  • College Preparatory

  • Composition

  • Crafts

  • English

  • History

  • Humanities

  • Literature

  • Mathematics

  • Psychology

  • Science

  • Sociology

  • Speech

College/Postsecondary

College students interested in special education should consider majoring in education and earning initial teaching certification as part of their undergraduate education program. Aspiring teachers should complete coursework in education, child development, and psychology. Prior to graduation, interested college students should gain teaching experience with special needs children, through internships or work. They should also research master's of education programs and state teaching certification requirements.

Related College Majors

  • Education Administration & Supervision, General

  • Education of the Blind & Visually Handicapped

  • Education of the Deaf & Hearing Impaired

  • Education of the Specific Learning Disabled

  • Education of the Speech Impaired

  • Elementary/Pre-Elementary/Kindergarten Teacher Education

  • Secondary/Jr. High/Middle School Teacher Education

  • Special Education, General

Adult Job Seekers

Adults seeking jobs as special education teachers should research the education and certification requirements of their home states as well of the schools where they might seek employment. Adult job seekers may benefit from employment workshops and job lists maintained by professional teaching associations, such as the American Federation of Teachers and the National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education.

Professional Certification and Licensure

All special education teachers must be licensed. Professional certification and licensure requirements for special education teachers vary between states and between schools. Special education teachers generally earn a master's in general education, with additional training in a special education area, such as learning or physical disabilities, and obtain a special education teaching license for kindergarten through high school. A small number of states require special education teachers to complete a master's of special education. State departments of education offer state teaching licenses and require continuing education and recertification on a regular basis. Successful job seekers will find out the requirements that apply to them and satisfy the requirements prior to seeking employment.

Additional Requirements

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Individuals who find satisfaction, success, and job security as special education teachers will be knowledgeable about the profession's requirements, responsibilities, and opportunities. Successful special education teachers engage in ongoing professional development. Special education teachers must have high levels of integrity and ethics as they work with vulnerable minors and have access to the personal information of student families. Membership in professional teaching associations is encouraged among beginning and tenured special education teachers as a means of building status in a professional community and networking.

Fun Fact

The phrase “special education” entered our collective vocabulary in 1975, when the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was enacted, requiring schools to provide “special education for children with qualifying disabilities.” Eventually, the acronym “SPED” took on a derogatory quality.

Source: http://www.specialednews.com/the-history-of-special-education-in-the-united-states.htm

Earnings and Advancement

Earnings of special education teachers depend on the individual's education and experience and the type, size and geographic location of the employer. Median annual earnings of special education teachers were $56,920 in 2013. The lowest ten percent earned less than $38,550, and the highest ten percent earned more than $90,460.

The school calendar allows special education teachers to have national and state holidays off and receive winter and summer vacations. They may also receive life and health insurance and retirement benefits. These are usually paid by the employer.

Metropolitan Areas with the Highest Employment Level in this Occupation

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Hourly mean wage New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ 10,720 2.05 $75,690 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL 3,910 1.06 $71,710 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA 3,630 0.91 $66,050 Philadelphia, PA 3,580 1.94 $68,320 Nassau-Suffolk, NY 2,900 2.35 $96,650 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 2,450 1.37 $68,560 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,730 0.73 $76,220 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 1,720 0.75 $54,180 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 1,680 0.61 $52,120 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA 1,650 0.94 $69,040

[1] (1) Does not include self-employed. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Employment and Outlook

There were about 443,000 special education teachers employed nationally in 2012. Nearly all were employed in public and private elementary, middle, and secondary schools. Employment is expected to grow slower than the average for all occupations through the year 2022, which means employment is projected to increase 3 percent to 10 percent. Job openings will mostly be created by continued growth in the number of special education students needing services. The need to replace special education teachers who switch to general education, change careers or retire will lead to additional job openings. At the same time, many school districts report shortages of qualified special education teachers. The most job opportunities will be available in inner city and rural schools. However, job growth could be limited by state and local government budget deficits.

Employment Trend, Projected 2010–20

Total, All Occupations: 11%

Education, Training, and Library Occupations: 11%

Special Education Teachers: 6%

Note: “All Occupations” includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections Program

Related Occupations

  • Audiologist

  • Career/Technology Education Teacher

  • Elementary School Teacher

  • Secondary School Teacher

  • Speech-Language Pathologist

  • Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

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Selected Schools

Many colleges and universities have bachelor's degree programs in education; some offer a specialization in special education. The student may also gain an initial grounding in the field at a technical or community college. Consult with your school guidance counselor or research post-secondary programs in your area. Below are listed some of the more prominent schools in this field.

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL 32611

352.392.3261

www.ufl.edu

University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign

Champaign, IL

217.333.1000

illinois.edu

University of Kansas

1450 Jayhawk Boulevard

Lawrence, KS 66045

785.864.2700

www.ku.edu

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN 55455

612.625.5000

www.umn.edu

University of Oregon

1585 East 13th Avenue

Eugene, OR 97403

541.346.1000

uoregon.edu

University of Texas, Austin

Austin, TX 78712

512.471.3434

www.utexas.edu

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA

934.924.0311

www.virginia.edu

University of Washington

Seattle, Washington

206.543.2100

www.washington.edu

University of Wisconsin

Madison, WI 53706

608.263.2400

www.wisc.edu

Vanderbilt University

2201 West End Avenue

Nashville, TN 37235

615.322.7311

www.vanderbilt.edu

More Information

Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing

3417 Volta Place, NW

Washington, DC 20007

202.337.5220

www.agbell.org

American Association for Employment in Education

3040 Riverside Drive, Suite 125

Columbus, OH 43221

614.485.1111

www.aaee.org

American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

1307 New York Avenue, NW

Suite 300

Washington, DC 20005-4701

202.293.2450

www.aacte.org

American Federation of Teachers

Public Affairs Department

555 New Jersey Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20001

202.879.4400

www.aft.org

Association for Education and Rehabilitation

of the Blind and Visually Impaired

1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 440

Alexandria, VA 22311

703.671.4500

www.aerbvi.org

Council for Exceptional Children

2900 Crystal Drive, Suite 1000

Arlington, VA 22202-3557

888.232.7733

www.cec.sped.org

Learning Disabilities Association of America

4156 Library Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15234-1349

412.341.1515

www.ldanatl.org

National Association of State Directors of Special Education

1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 320

Alexandria, VA 22314

703.519.3800

www.nasdse.org

National Education Association

1201 16th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20036-3290

202.833.4000

www.nea.org

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
Flynn, Simone Isadora. "Special Education Teacher." Careers in Human Services, edited by Michael Shally-Jensen, Salem Press, 2015. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CIHS_0025.
APA 7th
Flynn, S. I. (2015). Special Education Teacher. In M. Shally-Jensen (Ed.), Careers in Human Services. Salem Press. online.salempress.com.
CMOS 17th
Flynn, Simone Isadora. "Special Education Teacher." Edited by Michael Shally-Jensen. Careers in Human Services. Hackensack: Salem Press, 2015. Accessed July 05, 2025. online.salempress.com.