Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in Tennessee
Want to work as a Special Education Teachers, Secondary School in Tennessee? Here’s what you need to know. Teach academic, social, and life skills to secondary 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. Excludes “Substitute Teachers, Short-Term” (25-3031).
What do Special Education Teachers, Secondary School Make in Tennessee?
For a special education teachers, secondary school working in Tennessee, the typical annual salary is $58,580 per year.Annual wages span from $47,460 at the 10th percentile to $70,030 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,460 | n/a |
| 25th percentile | $49,880 | n/a |
| Median (50th) | $58,580 | $0.00 |
| 75th percentile | $62,410 | n/a |
| 90th percentile | $70,030 | n/a |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Tennessee compared to the national average — is 0.57, meaning fewer special education teachers, secondary school per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, special education teachers, secondary school earn a median of $79,680 per year ($38.31/hour), below the Tennessee median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 523,995 special education teachers, secondary school in the U.S.. In Tennessee alone, around 1,990 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 2,000 special education teachers, secondary school.
Top Tennessee Metros for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
The largest metro-area employers of special education teachers, secondary school in Tennessee.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | 710 | $60,070 |
| Knoxville, TN | 290 | $60,690 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 250 | $61,390 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 210 | $61,640 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 140 | $51,010 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 110 | $59,180 |
| Jackson, TN | 70 | $59,900 |
| Johnson City, TN | 40 | $54,820 |
| Cleveland, TN | 30 | $56,650 |
Top States for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School Employment
The table below shows the states where the most special education teachers, secondary school work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| New York | 17,030 |
| California | 12,190 |
| Ohio | 10,570 |
| Texas | 10,490 |
| Pennsylvania | 10,090 |
| Illinois | 8,890 |
| Florida | 8,250 |
| New Jersey | 7,700 |
| Virginia | 6,040 |
| Minnesota | 4,720 |
| Georgia | 4,180 |
| Massachusetts | 4,050 |
| North Carolina | 4,010 |
| Louisiana | 3,050 |
| Wisconsin | 2,850 |
| Indiana | 2,570 |
| Washington | 2,470 |
| Maryland | 2,450 |
| Colorado | 2,440 |
| Kentucky | 2,350 |
Highest-Paying States for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
These states pay the most for special education teachers, secondary school.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $101,250 |
| Washington | $97,820 |
| District of Columbia | $96,880 |
| New York | $91,830 |
| Rhode Island | $89,460 |
| Massachusetts | $82,580 |
| New Jersey | $80,360 |
| Maryland | $79,370 |
| Oregon | $78,980 |
| Alaska | $78,850 |
Skills
Key special education teachers, secondary school skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for special education teachers, secondary school, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School typically:
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
- Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, and social development.
- Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement.
- Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
- Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
- Teach personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, and self-advocacy.
- Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Modify the general education curriculum for students with disabilities, based upon a variety of instructional techniques and technologies.
Work Activities
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Working with Computers
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Getting Information
- Training and Teaching Others
- Thinking Creatively
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Assisting and Caring for Others
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Special Education
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Related Careers
Related occupations to special education teachers, secondary school include:
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Also Known As
Blind Teacher, Braille Teacher, Cross-Categorical SPED Teacher (Cross-Categorical Special Education Teacher), Deaf Teacher, Education Specialist, Emotional Disability Special Education Teacher (ED SPED Teacher), Emotionally Impaired Teacher, Exceptional Children's Teacher (EC Teacher), Exceptional Student Education Teacher (ESE Teacher), HS SPED Teacher (High School Special Education Teacher), Handicapped Teacher, Hearing Impaired Teacher, High School Learning Support Teacher, Inclusion Coordinator, Inclusion Special Educator.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 25-2058.00