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Elementary Special Education Teacher

Academic programs / Undergraduate degrees / Career opportunities / Elementary Special Education Teacher

Elementary Special Education Teacher

Explore employment trends, required job duties and skills for this career. ASU offers a variety of degrees that can help you prepare for and meet your career goals. Visit ASU's Career and Professional Development Services to learn how to develop your career plan.

Potential job titles in this career
Emotional Disabilities Teacher, Hearing Impaired Itinerant Teacher (HI Itinerant Teacher), Learning Support Teacher, Resource Program Teacher, Severe Emotional Disorders Elementary Teacher (SED Elementary Teacher), Special Education Inclusion Teacher, Special Education Resource Teacher, Special Education Teacher

* Additional schooling, certification, or degrees maybe be required for some of the potential careers that are listed.
What will I do?
  • Administer standardized ability and achievement tests to elementary students with special needs.
  • Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence.
  • Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise elementary school programs.
  • Confer with other staff members to plan or schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
  • Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, or social development.
  • Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
  • Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
  • Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades.
  • Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students.
  • Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
  • Employment trends
    Location Pay period 2022
    10% 25% Median% 75% 90%
    United States Hourly
    Yearly $45,730 $50,450 $62,390 $79,580 $101,100
    Arizona Hourly
    Yearly $40,060 $48,160 $51,640 $64,200 $72,680
    2022 Median%
    United States Hourly $62,390 Yearly
    Arizona Hourly $51,640 Yearly

    Employment (2022)
    194,700 employees
    Projected growth (2022 - 2032)
    Little or no change
    Projected job openings (2022 - 2032)
    12,900
    * Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
    What are accelerated programs?
    Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

    3 year programs

    These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.

    Accelerated master's

    These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).

    Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
    What are concurrent programs?
    Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
    What are joint programs?
    Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

    What constitutes a new program?
    ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.
    What are online programs?
    ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
    What is the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)?
    The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a program in which residents of western states (other than Arizona) may be eligible for reduced nonresident tuition. See more information and eligibility requirements on the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program.

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