Special Education Teachers

The field of special education is expected to have little or no change in employment through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The pandemic changed the way teachers work, with many, including those in special education, teaching online classes from their homes in 2020 and 2021. Post pandemic, all schools are open and most teachers are educating student on site in school classrooms. Some teachers, such as those in secondary schools, may be working remotely some days and on site in classrooms on other days. Preschool special education teachers will have slightly better employment opportunities (2 percent growth through 2033) than those at other school levels. The DOL reports that "these teachers and services will continue to be needed as children with disabilities are identified earlier and are enrolled into special education programs."

In the years to come, demand will grow for special education teachers because of the increase in the number of special education students needing services. Medical advances resulting in more survivors of illness and accidents, a rise in birth defects, increased awareness and understanding of learning disabilities, and general population growth are also significant factors for strong demand. Because of the rise in the number of youths with disabilities under the age of 21, the government has given approval for more federally funded programs. Growth of jobs in this field has also been influenced positively by legislation emphasizing training and employment for individuals with disabilities and a growing public awareness and interest in those with disabilities.

There is a fairly high turnover rate in this field, as some special education teachers find the work too stressful and switch to mainstream teaching or change jobs altogether. Many job openings will arise out of a need to replace teachers who leave their positions. There is a shortage of qualified teachers in rural areas and in the inner city. Jobs will also be plentiful for teachers who specialize in speech and language impairments, learning disabilities, and early childhood intervention. Bilingual teachers with multicultural experience will be in high demand.