Careers in Special Education and their Salaries

Check out some of the Careers in Special Education. Also, this article describes some of these jobs and the salaries they pay.

Special education is a kind of education where the learning activities and resources cater to students with disabilities and may require special training for their assimilation.

The disabilities may affect their physical appearance, emotional makeup, or cognitive abilities. Consequently, those with such problems need special attention in academics. 

Importance of Special Education

The reason why special education is essential is not far-fetched. Disabled people are humans and need care and attention. 

Another reason special education is essential is that it gives them the chance to achieve their goals.

Education is one of the keys to attaining a level in one’s ambition and career. As such, the opportunity to learn will help them achieve their purpose irrespective of their situation.

Also, check out Career Opportunities in Knowledge Management.

Moreover, it is understandable that students with learning disabilities need special care as they cannot cope with regular students. For this, there needs for cases such as individualized coaching or extended time for learning will help develop the child. 

Also, the students need a healthy environment where they can feel welcome and appreciated. They need cover away from bullies who might take advantage of them because of their condition. 

We have fewer teachers who specialize in special education than regular teachers, so a degree in special education is a viable option. Also, the compensation packages for teachers in special education are lucrative. 

Careers in Special Education

A degree in special education will guarantee you jobs aside from teaching. We will introduce some of these jobs, their roles, and the salary estimates in the post.

The careers discussed in this section are 

• Special Education Coordinator
• Advocacy Manager
• Psychometrist
• Early Intervention Specialist
• Reading Specialist 

Reading Specialist

Some students have difficulties when it comes to reading. Some cases are due to the fact they are experiencing disabilities such as dyslexia rather than unseriousness.

A reading specialist is a teacher trained to assist students like the ones mentioned above. They employ a variety of techniques and learning materials to help struggling students develop their reading abilities and speed.

Furthermore, they run analyses to help determine the extent of the reading problem and whether a student needs intervention.  

Duties of a Reading Specialist 

• Provide extra classes for the students to complement or improve their reading skills the students
• Assist the teacher with supplying materials and resources for learning reading skills and approaches. 
• Monitor the progress of the student’s reading ability and encourage them. 
• Review the curriculum and learning materials to ensure that they fit the needs of the students 
• Prepare assessment tests and a quiz to determine the progress of the students or whether they need help 
• Research and develop new ways for effective teaching of reading skills to students. 

Salary 

According to the Glassdoor survey, a reading specialist’s average salary in a year is $53,503. 

Advocacy Manager 

An advocacy manager or a special education advocate is grounded in the works of special education and understands the laws regarding education. They use their influence to lobby laws, policies, and reforms that favor the interests of students and education as a whole.

To ensure smooth education delivery to students with disabilities, they help resolve challenges and issues. Furthermore, they work in partnership with the parents, teachers, and students to help identify those areas of challenges and how best they can be addressed. 

Duties of an Advocacy Manager

• Use different communication channels to promote and provide information on advocacy programs and policies. 
• Establish and maintain close relationships with educators and policymakers.
• Develop key strategies to solve special education issues and monitor the implementation.  
• Participate in the application of grants and fund proposals. 
• Gather data and information to help them lobby for the desired objectives and actions. 
• Compile reports and documentation for each advocated program brainstormed and implemented. 
• Engage in dialogue meetings and conferences for the development of advocacy programs

Salary 

For an advocacy manager, the annual average salary is $55,248 per the Indeed.com salary survey exercise reports.

Also, check out Career Opportunities in Education Management.

Psychometrist

Psychometrists engage in psychometrics which is a specialization in psychology. It deals with the assignment or approaches to measure psychological attributes.

Therefore, psychometrists organize and conduct such tests to evaluate, validate, and estimate psychological characteristics. However, they do not run these tests alone; they do them under the supervision of a clinical psychologist. 

Duties of a Psychometrist

• Prepare well-detailed reports that give an overview of the results and recommendations
• Set and score mental and physiological assessment tests for close observation and treatment. 
• Attend to questions of the parents and clients after the assessment
• Record the observations from the evaluation. 
• Participate in research work to accumulate critical data. 

Salary 

According to Comparably.com, The average salary of a psychometrist is $68,947 per year. 

Early Intervention Specialist 

Early intervention specialists are trained teachers that focus on the student’s developmental stages, usually from 0-3 years old. They spot the issues and difficulties the child is prone to or has at the moment. Hence, the name is early intervention specialist because of what they do. 

Duties of an Early Intervention Specialist 

• Create an enabling environment for students with developmental delay 
• Run personalized teaching for students to cater to their needs 
• Advise on referrals and recommendations. 

Salary 

According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary of an early intervention specialist is $47,995 per year. 

Special Education Coordinator

Also, a special education coordinator is another career present for someone with a special education degree. The position requires the individual to coordinate all the human resources and materials for special education. They combine leadership and management skills to ensure the teacher gives students their best. 

Duties of a Special Education Coordinator 

• Monitor the implementation of various educational programs for the students. 
• Ensure that the parents are actively involved in the progress of their wards by maintaining constant communication. 
• Collaborate with educators and other education professionals on the adoption of education policies.
• Ensure there is compliance with the education policies and standards.
• Assist and analyze the data in the performance of implemented policies.

Salary 

Following the survey from Salary.com, the average salary of a special education coordinator is $62,992 per year.

Final Notes on Careers in Special Education and their Salaries

Special Education is the education dedicated to children with physical or mental abilities. In special education, the approach and resources differ from those used for regular students.

The use of a customized learning system is also possible. We have highlighted some of the careers that are available for anyone with a special education degree. 

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