Information Provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
Public school teachers must have at least a bachelor's degree, complete an approved teacher education program, and be licensed. Many States offer alternative licensing programs to attract people into teaching, especially for hard-to-fill positions. Excellent job opportunities are expected as retirements, especially among secondary school teachers, outweigh slowing enrollment growth; opportunities will vary by geographic area and subject taught.
On average, Special Education Teachers - Middle School earn $ 47,650 per year.
Job Opportunities for Special Education Teachers - Middle School are expected to:
Increase as fast as the 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.
All States require special education teachers to be licensed, which typically requires at least a bachelors degree and completion of an approved training program in special education teaching. Many States require a masters degree. Most States have alternative methods for entry for bachelors degree holders who do not have training in 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.
