Special Education Teacher Salary Levels Stay Constant

Special education teacher salary projections have changed little in recent years, even though there is far more awareness of the needs of children with disabilities and with a difficulty in learning and retaining information. The number of schools set up to accommodate such children has increased, although most are still taught in mainstream schools, and the number of teachers has had to rise accordingly. Even though it is extremely valuable work which these teachers carry out, there are always going to be limits on the amounts which can be paid out of the public purse.

There is a part of the remit of every teacher which involves dealing with children with special needs, even if only indirectly. In some cases, it is obvious that a child has special needs. We are seeing this increasingly often with autism, where children are so severely affected that their disabilities are obvious to anyone observing them. Many cases are not as clear cut, and it is only when a trained teacher spots something wrong that attention is drawn to the problem. A mainstream teacher may also have to deal with children with learning difficulties as part of their normal classroom work.

A teacher with a special designation to treat children with learning difficulties will often operate within a mainstream school, and may even carry out some routine teaching duties at the same time. There are times when the best approach for a child with special needs is to have them be part of the standard learning class, but with a special need for monitoring and for extra assistance. This approach is often criticized for the time it takes away from the other pupils, but with the right attention it can work. Teachers who have the credentials and experience to work in this capacity command higher salaries.

The special education teacher salary has to be kept above the average level to attract people into the profession, but there are obviously limits as to how far this can be taken. The teacher needs to be compensated for the time and effort they have teacher put in to qualifying and going through the system which is set you for them. This is a profession which demands a university degree, although it is possible to gain an entry level job with just a bachelor’s degree. There are no further formal education requirements for jobs at a higher level.

A teaching role in special education can also incur extra expenses. If, for example, you need to travel to another location to be able to access the special facilities which are needed by certain pupils, you would inevitably incur extra expenses. These expenses will need to be paid for initially out of your own pocket, but they would be reimbursed as part of the necessary expenses of doing the job. Extra training may also be paid for by the educational system if it is necessary to carry out the basic function of your job description. This may include training in using special equipment which children need.

There are likely to be few changes to the special education teacher salary in the near future. Although extra teachers will be needed to cope with the increasing numbers of pupils suffering from autism and other conditions becoming increasingly common, there can only be slight rises in the rates of pay. The educational system is already a huge financial burden upon society, and that can only be stretched so far. The above average income is only a very small part of what attracts people to this profession in the first place, so there are unlikely to be shortages because of the special education teacher salary.