Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
Occupation · SOC 25-2056.00
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.
Also called: Learning Support Teacher · Resource Program Teacher · SPED Resource Teacher (Special Education Resource Teacher) · SPED Teacher (Special Education Teacher) · Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher (DHH Teacher) · Emotional Disabilities Teacher · Hearing Impaired Itinerant Teacher (HI Itinerant Teacher) · SPED Inclusion Teacher (Special Education Inclusion Teacher) · Severe Emotional Disorders Elementary Teacher (SED Elementary Teacher) · Special Educator · APE Teacher (Adapted Physical Education Teacher) · Academic Interventionist
Job family: Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
Take this to your AI
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/roles/role-25-2056-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- Moderate AI exposure
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Moderate | 45th | 0.5 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.1), with simple added tooling (β 0.3), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.5). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Prepare, administer, or grade tests or assignments to evaluate students' progress. | 1.8% | |
| Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health. | 1.8% | |
| Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills. | 1.1% | |
| Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement. | 0.3% | |
| Interpret the results of standardized tests to determine students' strengths and areas of need. | 0.3% |
Tasks
All 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Instruct special needs students in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques, such as phonetics, multisensory learning, or repetition to reinforce learning and meet students' varying needs. · importance 4.9
- Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities. · importance 4.8
- Modify the general elementary education curriculum for special-needs students. · importance 4.7
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement. · importance 4.7
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations. · importance 4.7
- Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play. · importance 4.7
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students. · importance 4.7
- Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms. · importance 4.7
- Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes. · importance 4.6
- Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, or social development. · importance 4.5
- Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades. · importance 4.5
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health. · importance 4.5
- Meet with parents or guardians to discuss their children's progress, advise them on using community resources, or teach skills for dealing with students' impairments. · importance 4.5
- Monitor teachers or teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program requirements. · importance 4.5
- Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy. · importance 4.5
- Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students. · importance 4.5
- Guide or counsel students with adjustment problems, academic problems, or special academic interests. · importance 4.5
- Plan or conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate. · importance 4.3
- Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or school or state requirements. · importance 4.3
- Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation. · importance 4.2
- Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise elementary school programs. · importance 4.2
- Confer with other staff members to plan or schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula. · importance 4.1
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage. · importance 4.1
- Prepare, administer, or grade tests or assignments to evaluate students' progress. · importance 4.1
- Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills. · importance 4.0
- Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence. · importance 4.0
- Interpret the results of standardized tests to determine students' strengths and areas of need. · importance 3.9
- Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development. · importance 3.9
- Administer standardized ability and achievement tests to elementary students with special needs. · importance 3.6
- Plan or supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, demonstrations, or visits by guest speakers. · importance 3.4
Work activities
- Administer tests to assess educational needs or progress.
- Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
- Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
- Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs.
- Encourage students.
- Develop instructional objectives.
- Establish rules or policies governing student behavior.
- Advise students on academic or career matters.
- Monitor student performance.
- Teach others to use technology or equipment.
- Teach life skills.
- Assess educational needs of students.
- Maintain student records.
- Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
- Modify teaching methods or materials to accommodate student needs.
- Direct activities of subordinates.
- Monitor student behavior, social development, or health.
- Evaluate student work.
- Display student work.
- Plan educational activities.
- Plan experiential learning activities.
- Set up classroom materials or equipment.
- Develop instructional materials.
- Prepare tests.
- Assist students with special educational needs.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
Abilities
| Oral Expression | 4.4 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 4.3 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 4.1 | |
| Speech Clarity | 4.1 | |
| Written Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 4.0 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.9 | |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.8 | |
| Near Vision | 3.8 | |
| Written Expression | 3.6 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.6 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.6 | |
| Speech Recognition | 3.6 | |
| Originality | 3.5 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.5 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.3 | |
| Far Vision | 3.3 |
Essential skills
| Active Listening | 4.3 | |
| Speaking | 4.3 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.1 | |
| Learning Strategies | 4.1 | |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 | |
| Writing | 3.8 | |
| Monitoring | 3.6 | |
| Active Learning | 3.5 |
Transferable skills
| Instructing | 4.3 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.1 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.6 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.5 | |
| Coordination | 3.4 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 4 — Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Related experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Preparation level
- SVP (7.0 to < 8.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Education . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| Bachelor's Degree | 51.4% | |
| Master's Degree | 37.7% | |
| High School Diploma | 10.3% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 0.3% | |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 0.2% | |
| Post-Master's Certificate | 0.1% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Work styles
| Integrity | 10.0 | |
| Cooperation | 9.0 | |
| Social Orientation | 8.0 | |
| Self-Control | 7.0 | |
| Stress Tolerance | 6.0 | |
| Empathy | 5.0 | |
| Perseverance | 4.0 |
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Social | 7.0 | |
| Investigative | 3.9 | |
| Artistic | 3.6 | |
| Conventional | 3.5 |
Interest areas
| Teaching/Education | 6.9 | |
| Social Service | 6.5 | |
| Professional Advising | 4.6 | |
| Social Science | 4.0 | |
| Personal Service | 3.8 |
Related occupations
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten · 25-2055.00 Compare →
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School · 25-2058.00 Compare →
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School · 25-2057.00 Compare →
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool · 25-2051.00 Compare →
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education · 25-2021.00 Compare →
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors · 25-3011.00 Compare →
- Teaching Assistants, Special Education · 25-9043.00 Compare →
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education · 25-2012.00 Compare →
- Tutors · 25-3041.00 Compare →
- Adapted Physical Education Specialists · 25-2059.01 Compare →
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education · 25-2031.00 Compare →
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education · 25-2022.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Special Education Teachers, Elementary School — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- Job zone 4 — Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Education · field of study
Zoom out
See where this work sits in the bigger picture.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Special Education Teachers, Elementary School sit at the 44th percentile of AI task overlap among U.S. occupations
- Special Education Teachers, Elementary School rank in the 44th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
Copy the whole kit
Special Education Teachers, Elementary School sit at the 44th percentile of AI task overlap among U.S. occupations • Special Education Teachers, Elementary School rank in the 44th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) Source: Singulariki — "Special Education Teachers, Elementary School". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-25-2056-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Special Education Teachers, Elementary School." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-25-2056-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Special Education Teachers, Elementary School. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-25-2056-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-25-2056-00,
title = {Special Education Teachers, Elementary School},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-25-2056-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.