Special Education Teachers, Preschool: Job Description
Teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
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What Do Special Education Teachers, Preschool Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of special education teachers, preschool include:
- Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement.
- Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs.
- Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.
- Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs).
- Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy.
- Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective special education teachers, preschool rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Special Education Teachers, Preschool Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Autistic Teacher
- Behavior Interventionist
- Behavioral Interventionist
- Blind Teacher
- Braille Teacher
- Deaf Education Teacher
- Deaf Teacher
- ED Teacher (Emotional Disabilities Teacher)
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 599,377 special education teachers, preschool working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +6.1% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Special Education Teachers, Preschool Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $35,173 |
| Hourly median | $16.91 |
| 10th percentile | $22,824 |
| 25th percentile | $28,999 |
| 75th percentile | $41,348 |
| 90th percentile | $47,523 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Special Education Teachers, Preschool Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $129,860 |
| New Jersey | $86,650 |
| Massachusetts | $82,740 |
| Washington | $80,080 |
| Georgia | $78,300 |
| Alaska | $77,370 |
| Michigan | $73,630 |
| Vermont | $70,160 |
| Minnesota | $66,570 |
| Colorado | $66,420 |
| Virginia | $64,860 |
| Rhode Island | $64,050 |
| New Mexico | $63,810 |
| Nebraska | $63,760 |
| Connecticut | $63,700 |
| North Dakota | $62,870 |
| Ohio | $62,820 |
| Oregon | $61,650 |
| Tennessee | $60,810 |
| Texas | $60,810 |
| Arizona | $60,660 |
| Illinois | $60,420 |
| Kentucky | $59,840 |
| South Carolina | $57,560 |
| Kansas | $57,250 |
| Wisconsin | $57,230 |
| Utah | $56,040 |
| California | $55,890 |
| New Hampshire | $55,300 |
| North Carolina | $54,390 |
| Indiana | $53,900 |
| Louisiana | $52,700 |
| Wyoming | $50,370 |
| Florida | $50,030 |
| Missouri | $48,990 |
| Mississippi | $48,500 |
| West Virginia | $47,910 |
| Oklahoma | $47,880 |
| Arkansas | $35,220 |
| Iowa | $34,420 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for special education teachers, preschool differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $110,111 | 24.2% | 2.37 |
| New England | $73,235 | 4.9% | 1.23 |
| Rocky Mountains | $63,426 | 4.0% | 1.50 |
| Great Lakes | $61,780 | 11.0% | 0.89 |
| Far Western US | $61,339 | 16.2% | 1.13 |
| Southwest | $60,096 | 7.4% | 0.61 |
| Plains States | $56,522 | 10.8% | 1.84 |
| Southeast | $55,099 | 21.4% | 1.16 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $132,930 | 4,420 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $83,490 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $82,890 | 300 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $82,760 | 500 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $82,370 | 500 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $80,720 | 490 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | OH | $80,090 | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | MI | $79,800 | 70 |
Which Industries Hire Special Education Teachers, Preschool
The bulk of special education teachers, preschool work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 17,560 | n/a |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 10,020 | n/a |
Special Education Teachers, Preschool work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of special education teachers, preschool tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Physical Proximity
How to Become Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Entry-level special education teachers, preschool positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- School Psychologists (Supplemental)
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (Supplemental)
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education (Primary-Long)
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education (Primary-Short)
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (Primary-Long)
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (Supplemental)
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Students preparing for special education teachers, preschool commonly pursue programs in:
Education
13 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool).
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