How to become an Adapted Physical Education Specialist
Official title: Adapted Physical Education Specialists
Also called: Adapted Aquatics Instructor, Adapted Physical Activity Specialist, Adapted Physical Educator, APE Consultant (Adapted Physical Education Consultant), APE Instructional Specialist (Adapted Physical Education Instructional Specialist), APE Teacher (Adapted Physical Education Teacher), Certified Adapted Physical Educator, DAPE Specialist (Developmental Adapted Physical Education Specialist), DAPE Teacher (Developmental Adapted Physical Education Teacher), PE Teacher (Physical Education Teacher)
Provide individualized physical education instruction or services to children, youth, or adults with exceptional physical needs due to gross motor developmental delays or other impairments.
Main tasks
- Provide adapted physical education services to students with intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, or other disabling condition.
- Provide students positive feedback to encourage them and help them develop an appreciation for physical education.
- Provide individual or small groups of students with adapted physical education instruction that meets desired physical needs or goals.
- Instruct students, using adapted physical education techniques, to improve physical fitness, gross motor skills, perceptual motor skills, or sports and game achievement.
- Write reports to summarize student performance, social growth, or physical development.
- Evaluate the motor needs of individual students to determine their need for adapted physical education services.
- Establish and maintain standards of behavior to create safe, orderly, and effective environments for learning.
- Collaborate with other educational personnel to provide inclusive activities or programs for children with disabilities.
How to become one
Special education teachers in public schools are required to have a bachelor's degree and a state-issued certification or license. Teachers in private schools typically need a bachelor's degree but may not be required to have a state license or certification.
Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- College: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $76,580 a year The middle half earn $60,930 to $99,690.
- About 34,800 people work in this job now, and about 35,500 are projected by 2035. (+1.9%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Related jobs
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
- Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
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Questions people ask
How do I become an Adapted Physical Education Specialist?
Special education teachers in public schools are required to have a bachelor's degree and a state-issued certification or license. Teachers in private schools typically need a bachelor's degree but may not be required to have a state license or certification.
How much does an Adapted Physical Education Specialist earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $76,580 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $60,930 to $99,690.
Is an Adapted Physical Education Specialist a growing career in the US?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 34,800 people now and 35,500 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become an Adapted Physical Education Specialist?
Usually. 90% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of an Adapted Physical Education Specialist?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.