Most specialists teach and provide services directly to students on a variety of levels. In other situations, students are assisted by specialists on an individual or small group basis out of the classroom. All specialists confer with regular classroom teachers and parents. Most specialists have master's degrees and are certified in their area of specialty. All states require public school teachers to be certified.
Some states also require private and parochial teachers to be certified.
In addition, some states may require competency tests or health examinations. Some states specify a time frame within which to obtain a master's degree. It is important to contact the teacher certification offices in every state of interest to you to learn of their various requirements. Many states grant tenure guaranteeing that after two or three years of satisfactory performance, a teacher cannot be discharged without cause. Teaching overseas is another alternative for educators.