How to become an Elementary School Special Education Teacher
Official title: Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
Also called: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher (DHH Teacher), 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 Educator, SPED Inclusion Teacher (Special Education Inclusion Teacher), SPED Resource Teacher (Special Education Resource Teacher), SPED Teacher (Special Education Teacher)
Teach academic, social, and life skills to elementary 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.
Main tasks
- Instruct students with disabilities in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques, such as phonetics, multisensory learning, or repetition to reinforce learning and meet students' varying needs.
- Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- Modify the general elementary education curriculum for students with disabilities.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.
- Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
- Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
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
- Licence: A licence is required in 43 states.
Pay · Outlook
- About 259,100 people work in this job now, and about 258,100 are projected by 2035. (-0.4%)
Related jobs
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Adapted Physical Education Specialists
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become an Elementary School Special Education Teacher?
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.
Is an Elementary School Special Education Teacher a growing career in the US?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 259,100 people now and 258,100 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become an Elementary School Special Education Teacher?
Usually. 90% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- 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
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.