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 →Teaching Assistants, Special Education
Occupation · SOC 25-9043.00
Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher to provide academic, social, or life skills to students who have learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.
Also called: Paraprofessional (Para) · SPED Aide (Special Education Aide) · SPED Para (Special Education Paraprofessional) · SPED TA (Special Education Teacher Assistant) · Assistant Instructor · Co-Teacher · Educational Assistant · Paraeducator · TA (Teacher's Assistant) · Teacher's Aide · Basic Skills Improvement Program Instructional Aide (BSIP Instructional Aide) · Classroom Paraprofessional
Job family: Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-25-9043-00/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 | 36th | 0.4 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.2), with simple added tooling (β 0.3), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.4). 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.
| Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers. | 3.7% | |
| Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations. | 3.1% | |
| Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement. | 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.
- Provide assistance to students with special needs. · importance 4.5
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement. · importance 4.5
- Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips. · importance 4.4
- Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms. · importance 4.2
- Carry out therapeutic regimens, such as behavior modification and personal development programs, under the supervision of special education instructors, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists. · importance 4.1
- Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers. · importance 4.1
- Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory. · importance 4.0
- Enforce administration policies and rules governing students. · importance 4.0
- Observe students' performance, and record relevant data to assess progress. · importance 4.0
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage. · importance 4.0
- Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud. · importance 3.9
- Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts. · importance 3.9
- Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices. · importance 3.8
- Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation. · importance 3.8
- Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play. · importance 3.8
- Assist in bus loading and unloading. · importance 3.7
- Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students. · importance 3.7
- Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development. · importance 3.6
- Take class attendance and maintain attendance records. · importance 3.6
- Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories, and assist students with hardware and software use. · importance 3.5
- Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations. · importance 3.5
- Prepare lesson outlines and plans in assigned subject areas and submit outlines to teachers for review. · importance 3.4
- Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students' progress or problems. · importance 3.4
- Clean classrooms. · importance 3.3
- Assist librarians in school libraries. · importance 3.1
- Organize and label materials and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their eye levels and perceptual skills. · importance 3.1
- Prepare lesson materials, bulletin board displays, exhibits, equipment, and demonstrations. · importance 3.0
- Requisition and stock teaching materials and supplies. · importance 2.9
- Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required. · importance 2.9
- Laminate teaching materials to increase their durability under repeated use. · importance 2.8
Work activities
- Supervise school or student activities.
- Assist other educational professionals with projects or research.
- Serve on institutional or departmental committees.
- Implement therapeutic programs to improve patient functioning.
- Clean facilities or work areas.
- Maintain clean work areas.
- Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
- Distribute instructional or library materials.
- Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs.
- Enforce rules or policies governing student behavior.
- Evaluate student work.
- Maintain student records.
- Monitor student performance.
- Teach others to use technology or equipment.
- Teach life skills.
- Set up classroom materials or equipment.
- Maintain computer equipment or software.
- Display student work.
- Plan educational activities.
- Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
- Develop instructional materials.
- Document lesson plans.
- Lead classes or community events.
- Assist students with special educational needs.
- Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
- Tutor students who need extra assistance.
- Create technology-based learning materials.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Abilities
| Oral Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Oral Expression | 4.0 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.8 | |
| Speech Recognition | 3.8 | |
| Speech Clarity | 3.8 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.6 | |
| Near Vision | 3.6 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.4 | |
| Written Expression | 3.3 | |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.3 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.3 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.1 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.1 | |
| Auditory Attention | 3.1 | |
| Originality | 3.0 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.0 | |
| Time Sharing | 3.0 | |
| Far Vision | 2.9 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.8 |
Essential skills
| Active Listening | 3.9 | |
| Speaking | 3.8 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 | |
| Learning Strategies | 3.6 | |
| Monitoring | 3.6 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 | |
| Writing | 3.1 | |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
Transferable skills
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.8 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 | |
| Instructing | 3.5 | |
| Coordination | 3.1 | |
| Persuasion | 3.1 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 | |
| Negotiation | 2.9 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 | |
| Time Management | 2.8 |
Knowledge
| English Language | 3.5 | |
| Psychology | 3.4 | |
| Education and Training | 2.9 | |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.8 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Showing the top 40 of 41.
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 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Related experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Preparation level
- SVP (6.0 to < 7.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Education , Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences , Psychology . 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.
| High School Diploma | 24.6% | |
| Some College Courses | 18.2% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 14.5% | |
| Master's Degree | 3.5% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Work styles
| Dependability | 8.0 | |
| Integrity | 7.0 | |
| Cooperation | 6.0 | |
| Social Orientation | 5.0 | |
| Self-Control | 4.0 | |
| Stress Tolerance | 3.0 | |
| Empathy | 2.6 |
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Social | 7.0 | |
| Conventional | 3.6 | |
| Artistic | 3.3 | |
| Investigative | 3.3 |
Interest areas
| Social Service | 6.5 | |
| Teaching/Education | 6.0 | |
| Professional Advising | 2.7 | |
| Social Science | 2.6 | |
| Personal Service | 2.5 |
Related occupations
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten · 25-2055.00 Compare →
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School · 25-2058.00 Compare →
- Special Education Teachers, Elementary School · 25-2056.00 Compare →
- Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education · 25-9042.00 Compare →
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School · 25-2057.00 Compare →
- Instructional Coordinators · 25-9031.00 Compare →
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education · 25-2021.00 Compare →
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool · 25-2051.00 Compare →
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education · 25-2012.00 Compare →
- Tutors · 25-3041.00 Compare →
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors · 25-3011.00 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 Teaching Assistants, Special Education — 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.
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten Compare →
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School Compare →
- Special Education Teachers, Elementary School Compare →
- Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education Compare →
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School Compare →
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- Job zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Education · field of study
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences · field of study
Zoom out
See where this work sits in the bigger picture.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Teaching Assistants, Special Education sit at the 34th percentile of AI task overlap among U.S. occupations
- Teaching Assistants, Special Education rank in the 34th 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
Teaching Assistants, Special Education sit at the 34th percentile of AI task overlap among U.S. occupations • Teaching Assistants, Special Education rank in the 34th 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 — "Teaching Assistants, Special Education". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-25-9043-00 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. "Teaching Assistants, Special Education." 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-25-9043-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Teaching Assistants, Special Education. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-25-9043-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-25-9043-00,
title = {Teaching Assistants, Special Education},
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-25-9043-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.