Information Provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
All States require teachers to be licensed; licensing requires the completion of a teacher training program and at least a bachelors degree, though many States require a masters degree. Excellent job prospects are expected due to rising enrollments of special education students and reported shortages of qualified teachers. Many States offer alternative licensure programs to attract people to these jobs who do not have the qualifications to become teachers under normal procedures.
On average, Special Education Teachers (Age 3 To 10) earn $ 46,360 per year.
Job Opportunities for Special Education Teachers (Age 3 To 10) are expected to:
Increase faster than average.
Special education teachers work with children and youths who have a variety of disabilities. A small number of special education teachers work with students with severe cases of mental retardation or autism, primarily teaching them life skills and basic literacy. However, the majority of special education teachers work with children with mild to moderate disabilities, using or modifying the general education curriculum to meet the childs individual needs. Most special education teachers instruct students at the elementary, middle, and secondary school level, although some work with infants and toddlers.
Many colleges and universities across the United States offer programs in special education at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degree levels. Special education teachers usually undergo longer periods of training than do general education teachers. Most bachelors degree programs last years and include general and specialized courses in special education.
Special education teachers held a total of about 459,000 jobs in 2006. Nearly all work in public and private educational institutions. A few worked for individual and social assistance agencies or residential facilities, or in homebound or hospital environments.
