Special Education Teacher: Job Description, Requirements, and Career Outlook

Special Education Teachers play a crucial role in the education system by providing support and tailored instruction to students with disabilities. They work with students who have learning, mental, emotional, or physical disabilities, adapting general education lessons to meet their unique needs. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the special education teacher's job description, the necessary qualifications, and the career outlook for this rewarding profession.

What is a Special Education Teacher?

A Special Education Teacher educates children who face physical, mental, emotional, and learning disabilities. They are dedicated to helping these students succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.

What Does a Special Education Teacher Do?

Special Education Teachers develop teaching plans according to students’ learning needs. They search for activities and resources that can be easily adapted to each child’s educational requirements. What special education teachers do involves working with general teachers or other specialized teachers to create and implement individualized instruction strategies to help their students succeed.

Their responsibilities include:

Developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs): Special education teachers work with general education teachers, specialists, administrators, and parents to develop IEPs. Students’ IEPs outline their goals, including academic or behavioral milestones, and services they are to receive, such as speech therapy.
Adapting Lessons: They adapt general education lessons and teach various subjects to students with mild to moderate disabilities. In these settings, teachers plan, adapt, and present lessons to meet each student’s needs. In inclusive classrooms, special education teachers instruct students with disabilities who are in general education classrooms.
Providing Instruction: Special education teachers may teach students in small groups or on a one-on-one basis. Some special education teachers work in classrooms or resource centers that include only students with disabilities.
Developing Essential Skills: Some special education teachers work with students who have moderate to severe disabilities. These teachers help students, who may be eligible for services until age 21, develop basic life skills. Some teach the skills necessary for students with moderate disabilities to live independently, find a job, and manage money and their time. For example, some help students develop study skills, such as highlighting text and using flashcards. Others work with students who have physical disabilities and may use a wheelchair or other adaptive devices. Still others work with students who have sensory disabilities, such as visual or hearing impairments.
Collaboration: Collaborate with the support staff (e.g.

Skills and Qualities of a Successful Special Education Teacher

A good special education teacher is patient, resourceful, and resilient, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Read also: Find Remote Special Education Jobs

Communication skills: Special education teachers need to be able to explain concepts in terms students with learning disabilities can understand.
Critical-thinking skills:
Interpersonal skills: Special education teachers work regularly with a team of educators and the student’s parents to develop IEPs. Building rapport with students is just as critical as implementing the correct learning strategies.
Patience: Special education teachers must practice patience when working with students who face all types of challenges.
Resourcefulness: Special education teachers must develop different ways to present information that meet their students’ needs.
Adaptability: Special education teachers must be comfortable using and learning new technology. Most use computers to keep records of their students’ performance, prepare lesson plans, and update IEPs.

Where Do Special Education Teachers Work?

Most special education teachers work in public schools, teaching students from preschool to high school. Special education teachers’ skills are in demand in traditional classroom settings; specialized schools; early intervention facilities; private facilities; and health care facilities, such as hospitals or clinics. A small number of special education teachers work with students in residential facilities, hospitals, and the students’ homes. They may travel to these locations. Some teachers work with infants and toddlers at the child’s home.

Education, Certification, and Licensing Requirements

Special education teachers in public schools are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree and a state-issued certification or license.

Bachelor's Degree: All states require special education teachers in public schools to have at least a bachelor's degree. Some require teachers to earn a degree specifically in special education. In a program leading to a bachelor’s degree in special education, prospective teachers learn about the different types of disabilities and how to present information so that students will understand. Programs typically include a student-teaching program, in which prospective teachers work with a mentor and get experience instructing students in a classroom setting.
Certification/Licensure: All states require teachers in public schools to be licensed in the specific grade level that they teach. A license frequently is referred to as a certification. All states offer an alternative route to certification or licensure for people who already have a bachelor’s degree. These alternative programs cover teaching methods and child development. Candidates are awarded full certification after they complete the program. Other alternative programs require prospective teachers to take classes in education before they can start to teach.

Career Development and Advancement

Experienced teachers may advance to become mentors who help less experienced teachers improve their instructional skills. Teachers may become school counselors, instructional coordinators, and elementary, middle, and high school principals. These positions generally require additional education, an advanced degree, or certification. Prospective instructors who want to pursue a specialized degree can benefit greatly from earning a master’s degree in education with a concentration in special education. By earning a degree, such as the Master of Education (MEd) in Instruction with a concentration in Special Education from Augusta University Online, graduates can build the in-depth knowledge and practical skills they need to begin a fulfilling career in education. Providing personalized attention; applied theory; and 21 concentrations, including special education, the MEd from AU Online was designed to help you enter the workforce with confidence.

Salary and Job Outlook

The median annual wage for special education teachers was $64,270 in May 2024. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Depending on their level of education, workplace experience and job location, a special education teacher’s salary may vary. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts that schools will have 35,900 openings for special education teachers each year through 2033 because current special education teachers will retire or move into other occupations. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

The Growing Need for Special Education Teachers

The number of children eligible for special education is on the rise. In the 2012-13 school year, 6.4 million children were eligible for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). By the 2022-23 school year, that number had grown to 7.5 million, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Unfortunately, schools nationwide face a shortage of teachers who are special education specialists. When NCES surveyed schools in August 2024, 72% of schools that had openings for special education teachers reported that they encountered difficulty filling those positions. Across the country, students with learning limitations require the assistance of a special education teacher to succeed. has a shortage of special education teachers.

The Role of a Special Education Specialist

The special education specialist job description centers on teaching students ages 3-21 with disabilities that adversely affect their academic performance and who therefore require special education services. Special education specialists can work in classrooms that include only students with special needs, or they can work in inclusive classrooms that include students with a range of abilities.

Teachers who work as special education specialists prepare an individualized education program (IEP) for each student who qualifies for special education services. Those programs outline students’ specific needs as well as objectives that students can work toward reaching. Special education specialists then provide instruction in accordance with those programs and monitor students’ progress.

A special education specialist’s responsibilities can include the following:

Assessing students’ skills and needs
Developing learning activities that align with students’ abilities
Mentoring and teaching students, both in group settings and in individual sessions
Monitoring students’ progress toward achieving goals
Revising IEPs in accordance with students’ progress
Meeting with students’ parents, administrators, and counselors to review students’ progress
Supervising teacher assistants
Helping students prepare to progress to the next grade or for life after the conclusion of their schooling

Requirements to Become a Special Education Specialist

The requirements to become a special education specialist can vary by state, so it’s important to become familiar with the specific requirements of the state where you want to work. In general, those requirements typically include the following:

Earn a bachelor’s degree. Ideally, earning a bachelor’s degree in special education is a great way to acquire expertise to work as a special education specialist. However, students who earn other types of bachelor’s degrees also can pursue special education preparation programs to gain knowledge and skills in special education.
Gain experience. Special education degree programs and special education preparation programs typically include internships and opportunities to get teaching experience in the field.
Obtain a teaching license. State requirements for teaching licenses vary, so it’s important to learn about licensure requirements in your state. Getting a teaching license usually requires passing a state-required exam and a criminal background check.
Consider earning a graduate degree. Earning a Master of Arts in Special Education is a great way to enhance your expertise and acquire more skills to use in the classroom. These degree programs offer students the chance to enhance their special education expertise and pursue concentrations that focus on specific aspects of special education.

In general, whether you need to complete a Master of Education to teach depends on the requirements of the state where you want to teach. Some states require individuals to earn a master’s degree to work as special education specialists. In addition, it’s important to remember that Master of Arts in Special Education degree program requirements differ from Master of Education program requirements.

Work Environment and Schedule

Special education teachers typically work during school hours. In addition to providing instruction during this time, they grade papers, update students’ records, and prepare lessons. Many work the traditional 10-month school year and have a 2-month break during the summer. They also have a short midwinter break. Teaching can be both fulfilling and challenging. As special education teachers, instructors face various challenges on top of the more routine obstacles in education. Learning with a disability, particularly in a classroom with students of all levels, can be challenging both mentally and emotionally for students.

Making a Difference

Helping students with disabilities may be rewarding. Special education specialists are needed nationwide. With the right tools and guidance from a dedicated teacher, every student has the opportunity to achieve success in learning. Every day, special education specialists have the chance to make a significant difference in the lives of the students they teach.

The Importance of Individualized Attention

Every student is different and has a range of strengths and weaknesses. Education doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all solution. With each student comes a unique set of challenges. Working in conjunction with other educators, administrators, and a student’s parents or support system, special education teachers are tasked with establishing strategies to streamline their students’ learning environment. Hiring a special education teacher? You will create personalized lesson plans tailored to their specific requirements. Find engaging activities to teach skills (e.g.

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