Special Education Teachers, Middle School

Overview

Special Education Teachers, Middle School has a national median salary of $66,810 per year, with -0.4% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Teach academic, social, and life skills to middle school 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.

Work Values

• Relationships
• Working Conditions
• Achievement

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Develop or write Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students.
• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
• Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
• Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
• Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, and food preparation.

Work Activities

• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Training and Teaching Others
• Assisting and Caring for Others
• Working with Computers
• Coaching and Developing Others
• Getting Information
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Detailed Work Activities

• Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a master's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Master's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a bachelor's degree.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Special Education Teachers, Middle School:

Video Resources