Positions in rural areas and inner cities are more plentiful than job openings in suburban or wealthy urban areas. Legislation encouraging early intervention and special education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers has created a need for early childhood special education teachers. Special education teachers who are bilingual or have multicultural experience are also needed to work with an increasingly diverse student population. The number of students requiring special education services has been steadily increasing, as indicated by the accompanying chart . In some schools, teachers receive extra pay for coaching sports and working with students in extracurricular activities.
Some teachers earn extra income during the summer, working in the school system or in other jobs.
Top Special education teachers work with students who have disabilities and special needs. Other occupations involved with the identification, evaluation, and development of students with disabilities include school psychologists , social workers , speech pathologists , rehabilitation counselors , adapted physical education teachers, special education technology specialists, and occupational , physical , creative arts, and recreational therapists . Links to non-BLS Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.