What Is a Special Education Teacher?

by Carrie Hall, PhD

What Is a Special Education Teacher, and What Do They Do?

A special education teacher is a teacher who supports students with disabilities in accessing the general education curriculum by working collaboratively with a team to design individual education plans (IEPs), actively implementing the plans by providing individualized instruction, and monitoring learning progress.

Special education teachers are trained to work with students with the classifications of mild/moderate and moderate/severe disabilities. They are responsible for legal compliance with the individual education plans, ensuring that students receive what is described in the plan and that paperwork is completed within the timeframe required by law.

The work of special education teachers also includes:

• Communicating their plans with the families of students
• Providing instruction that fits students’ needs
• Participating in frequent student observations
• Overseeing the work of paraprofessionals (sometimes called instructional aides or teacher assistants) with the students
• Case managing student eligibility, learning progress, and individual education plans 

A special education teacher is compassionate, organized, and has a heart for working with students who need help accessing the general education curriculum without scaffolding, accommodations and/or modifications.

Ultimately, they are advocates for students who often struggle to advocate for themselves. They think outside the box and often find creative ways to meet students’ needs. Special education teachers are excellent communicators who look for ways to support general education teachers in best serving their students with academic, learning, social, behavioral and emotional needs.

Which Students Do Special Education Teachers Work With?

Special education teachers only work with students who have an individual education plan (IEP), a written legal document mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 

An IEP serves as a road map that specifically identifies the special education instruction, support and services a learner needs to access the general education curriculum. It is designed to be tailored to the individual learner and their needs.

IEPs are given to eligible learners, ages 3 and up, who attend public or charter schools. Eligibility for an IEP is evaluated when a learner needs additional services to access and learn the general education curriculum.

To be eligible for an IEP, a learner must need specialized instruction to make progress in school and have one or more of the 13 identified conditions that are covered under IDEA eligibility. These include:

• Specific learning disabilities
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Visual impairment (including blindness)
• Hearing impairment
• Intellectual disability
• Traumatic brain injury
• Deaf-blindness
• Emotional behavior disability
• Speech and language impairment
• Deafness
• Orthopedic impairment
• Multiple disabilities
• Other health impairment

IEPs are created, reviewed and evaluated by a team that includes:

• The parents or guardians of the student
• The student (usually in middle school and high school)
• The general education teacher
• The special education teacher
• The school psychologist
• Various specialists (occupational therapist, speech and language pathologist, etc.)
• The school counselor
• The building administrator

IEPs are reviewed by the team once a year, and the learner is reevaluated every three years to determine whether the services are still needed. 

How Do I Become a Special Education Teacher in Oregon?

In Oregon, the route to becoming a special education teacher depends on your prior education. Each path will include testing requirements through the Teachers Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) that are required components for the completion of your teaching program.

Here are some scenarios and the pathway to becoming a special education teacher for each:

I Have No College Credits, Some College Credits, or an Associate’s Degree

If you haven’t earned a bachelor’s degree yet, your options are:

• Complete a bachelor’s degree in special education and earn a preliminary teaching license, or
• Complete a bachelor’s degree in education, earn a preliminary teaching license, and then either:
  • Earn a special education endorsement, or
  • Complete a masters in education with a special education endorsement

George Fox University offers both a traditional on-campus bachelor’s in elementary education as well as an online accelerated bachelor’s degree in education.

I Have a Bachelor’s Degree, But Need a Preliminary Teaching License

To earn a preliminary teaching license, you need to complete a teacher preparation program. Since you already have a bachelor’s degree, a master of arts in teaching (MAT) is your best next step. You can earn your MAT and then get a special education endorsement afterward, but it’s generally faster to complete an MAT program that combines both.

George Fox University's online Masters in Special Education program is your fastest route to becoming a special education teacher, though it does not prepare you to teach in general education settings.

George Fox University’s MAT Plus Special Education program enables you to earn your MAT degree and special education endorsement together, preparing you to be licensed and endorsed to teach in both general and special education settings.

I Have a Bachelor’s Degree and a Preliminary Teaching License

If you’re already a licensed teacher with a bachelor’s degree, then you just need the additional training for special education to become a special education teacher. You can either complete a stand-alone special education endorsement program (recommended if you already have a master’s degree) or a masters in education (MEd) program with a built-in special education endorsement.

George Fox University offers both a special education endorsement-only program and a masters in education with a special education endorsement.