Occupation · SOC 25-2055
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
Teach academic, social, and life skills to kindergarten 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.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
604 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingReading ComprehensionInstructingActive ListeningLearning StrategiesWritingCritical ThinkingActive Learning
Knowledge areas
English LanguageEducation and TrainingComputers and ElectronicsCustomer and Personal ServiceMathematics
Technology & tools
Data base user interface and query softwareComputer based training softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareElectronic mail softwareVoice recognition software
Representative tasks
Administer standardized ability and achievement tests to kindergarten students with special needs.Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence.Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise kindergarten programs.Confer with other staff members to plan, schedule, or conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, or social development.Confer with parents, guardians, teachers, counselors, or administrators to resolve students' behavioral or academic problems.Control the inventory or distribution of classroom equipment, materials, or supplies.Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage.Instruct students with disabilities in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques, such as phonetics, multisensory learning, or repetition to reinforce learning and meet students' varying needs.Interpret or transcribe classroom materials into Braille or sign language.Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.Meet with parents or guardians to discuss their children's progress, advise them on using community resources, or teach skills for dealing with students' impairments.Modify the general kindergarten education curriculum for students with disabilities.Monitor teachers or teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program requirements.Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills.Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development.Perform administrative duties, such as school library assistance, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.Plan or supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, demonstrations, or visits by guest speakers.Prepare assignments for teacher assistants or volunteers.Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or school or state requirements.Prepare, administer, or grade assignments to evaluate students' progress.Present information in audio-visual or interactive formats, using computers, televisions, audio-visual aids, or other equipment, materials, or technologies.Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.Visit schools to tutor students with sensory impairments or to consult with teachers regarding students' special needs.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) — review and follow under direct supervisor guidance in a kindergarten special education classroom.Course materials and handouts — prepare basic versions using word processing and office suite software with mentor feedback.Classroom discussions — participate in facilitation under the direction of a cooperating teacher in an inclusive kindergarten setting.Student assignments and classwork — grade using provided rubrics and scoring guides under close supervisory oversight.Instructional lectures and lessons — deliver pre-scripted content to small groups of kindergarten students with disabilities under observation.Active listening techniques — apply during student interactions to identify communication needs in a structured classroom environment.Educational software and computer-based training tools — operate basic programs to support student learning activities as directed.Behavioral support protocols — follow established classroom management procedures under the guidance of a lead special education teacher.Student progress data — record observations into database systems using provided templates and formats.Reading comprehension strategies — implement pre-selected instructional approaches with individual students under direct professional supervision.
developing
Differentiated lesson plans — design and deliver with reduced oversight, adapting pacing and materials for kindergarten students with varied disability profiles.IEP goals and objectives — monitor student progress toward and update records routinely using spreadsheet and database software.Classroom discussions — initiate and facilitate with growing independence, using active questioning techniques to engage students with communication challenges.Homework assignments and syllabi-equivalent planning documents — prepare independently, aligning content to IEP goals and general education standards.Student work samples and assessments — evaluate and grade systematically, providing written feedback calibrated to each learner's developmental level.Learning strategies — select and apply evidence-based approaches for students with diverse learning needs in familiar instructional contexts.Electronic mail and communication platforms — use to coordinate routinely with parents, paraprofessionals, and related service providers.Presentation software and graphics tools — create visually accessible instructional materials that support comprehension for young learners with disabilities.Critical thinking frameworks — apply when reviewing student performance data to adjust instruction within established classroom routines.Voice recognition and assistive device software — configure and support for individual students as part of routine technology integration.
proficient
Comprehensive IEPs — develop, implement, and evaluate autonomously across the full annual cycle for a diverse caseload of kindergarten students.Specialized instructional lectures and learning experiences — design and deliver with full independence, incorporating multi-modal approaches for students with complex needs.Classroom and small-group discussions — facilitate skillfully, moderating peer interactions and building oral expression and comprehension in students with communication disorders.Assessment systems — construct and administer formative and summative tools that accurately capture progress for students with kindergarten-level disabilities.Curriculum and course materials — author comprehensive packages including differentiated assignments, accommodations, and adaptive handouts aligned to standards.Non-routine behavioral and learning challenges — analyze and resolve by applying advanced critical thinking and psychological knowledge in real classroom situations.Data-driven instructional decisions — execute using integrated database, spreadsheet, and reporting tools to track and communicate student outcomes.Family and interdisciplinary team communication — lead with clarity and integrity, synthesizing written and oral information for diverse audiences.Assistive technology solutions — evaluate, select, and implement across a range of devices and software platforms to maximize student access and independence.Active learning and learning-strategy frameworks — apply and refine continuously, adapting evidence-based practices to address individualized student profiles.
advanced
Special education program vision and instructional standards — establish and communicate across a kindergarten-level department or district, driving systemic improvement.Mentorship and professional development — design and deliver for emerging and developing special education teachers, building organizational instructional capacity.IEP policy and compliance frameworks — lead development and oversight of, ensuring legal and ethical integrity across a full team of educators.Assessment and accountability systems — architect at the program level, using advanced data analysis to inform resource allocation and strategic planning.Inclusive curriculum design — lead cross-functional teams in creating differentiated, research-based materials scalable across multiple early childhood special education settings.Classroom discussion and instructional facilitation models — codify as replicable best practices and disseminate through professional learning communities and formal training.Technology integration strategy — direct the adoption and evaluation of educational, assistive, and administrative technology platforms across a school or district context.Family and community engagement initiatives — design and champion organization-wide, fostering sustained partnerships that amplify student outcomes for children with disabilities.Research and applied scholarship — translate current findings in psychology, education, and special education law into actionable instructional policy for the organization.Organizational culture of dependability, cooperation, and intellectual curiosity — model and cultivate across a special education faculty, influencing professional norms at scale.
Also known as
57 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Multi-Handicapped Students Special Education TeacherEducation And Training Superintendent (Air Force 3F291)Primary Special Education TeacherEarly InterventionistEvaluatorHearing Impaired Itinerant Teacher (HI Itinerant Teacher)Learning Support TeacherInstructor (Air Force 81T0)Profound Mental Handicaps Special Education TeacherMentally Retarded TeacherDevelopmentally Delayed Special Education Teacher (DD Special Education Teacher)Special Needs TeacherTeacher, Hearing ImpairedPhysically Impaired TeacherCross-Categorical Special Education TeacherTeacher, Physically ImpairedEmotional Disabilities TeacherBehavior SpecialistTeacher, ResourceLip Reading TeacherHearing Impaired TeacherExceptional Needs TeacherPrimary Special EducatorResource SpecialistTeacher, Visually ImpairedHome Therapy TeacherEducation And Training Apprentice (Air Force 3F231)Learning Disabilities TeacherTeacher, Emotionally ImpairedAdapted Physical Education TeacherSelf Contained Special Education TeacherTeacher, Learning DisabledSpecial Education Resource TeacherEducation And Training Helper (Air Force 3F211)Sign Language TeacherAcademic InterventionistTeacher, Mentally ImpairedEducation and Training Journeyman (Air Force 3F251)Teacher, Home TherapyLearning Disabled Teacher