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Special Education Teachers, Secondary School

The short answer

Parts of this job are expected to change. AI can already assist with some of its tasks. In New York State, the number of these jobs is expected to hold steady over the next decade, with about 1,503 openings expected each year.

Step 1

Where your job stands

Compared with other New York jobs, this one is in the middle fifth for how much AI could touch it—right around the middle.

How much AI could touch this job

Middleband 3 of 5
least exposedmost exposed

Looking at the job itself, AI could help with about a quarter of this job's tasks.

What this means

Compared with other New York jobs, this one is in the middle fifth, out of 656 jobs we could rank. Read more in the methodology.

Step 2

What AI can and can’t help with in this job

The score comes from the real, day-to-day tasks of this job—not a guess about the job as a whole. Below are the tasks that matter most in this job, split by whether AI can help with them.

AI can help with or automate about 50% of the tasks in this job.

Tasks AI can help with or automate

  1. Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.

    AI could do much of this on its own

  2. Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, and social development.

    AI could help, but needs extra software

  3. Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.

    AI could do much of this on its own

  4. Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.

    AI could help, but needs extra software

  5. Modify the general education curriculum for students with disabilities, based upon a variety of instructional techniques and technologies.

    AI could help, but needs extra software

Tasks AI can't do much of

  1. Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.

    AI is unlikely to speed this up

  2. Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.

    AI is unlikely to speed this up

  3. Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.

    AI is unlikely to speed this up

  4. Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement.

    AI is unlikely to speed this up

  5. Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.

    AI is unlikely to speed this up

Step 3

Jobs you could switch to

If you're thinking about a change, these are jobs your experience already fits—related work you could move into. Pick your area to see local options.

See related jobs in

The closest matches by the skills they use—each has projected openings in New York State, pays within reach of your job now, and is no more exposed to AI than your job. Each card shows what the move would take.

  • Special Education Teachers, Middle School

    Very similar work
    +5% pay635 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job now

    Pays about 5% more—$96,444 vs your $91,813 here.

    What the move takes

    Usually requires a bachelor's degree.

    Getting ready typically takes two to four years.

    Skills you already have

    • Education and Training
    • English Language
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Learning Strategies
    • Speaking

    Your current skills largely cover this move.

  • Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

    Very similar work
    +9% pay6,128 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job now

    Pays about 9% more—$99,785 vs your $91,813 here.

    What the move takes

    Usually requires a bachelor's degree.

    Getting ready typically takes two to four years.

    Skills you already have

    • Education and Training
    • English Language
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Learning Strategies
    • Instructing

    New skills to build

    • History and Archeology
  • Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School

    Very similar work
    slightly less pay141 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job now

    Pays slightly less—$88,868 vs your $91,813 here.

    What the move takes

    Usually requires a bachelor's degree, with less than 5 years of experience.

    Getting ready typically takes two to four years.

    Skills you already have

    • English Language
    • Education and Training
    • Speech Clarity
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking

    New skills to build

    • Engineering and Technology
    • Design
    • Mechanical
  • Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

    Very similar work
    slightly less pay8,820 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job now

    Pays slightly less—$88,164 vs your $91,813 here.

    What the move takes

    Usually requires a bachelor's degree.

    Getting ready typically takes two to four years.

    Skills you already have

    • Education and Training
    • English Language
    • Learning Strategies
    • Instructing
    • Oral Expression

    Your current skills largely cover this move.

  • Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

    Similar work
    +6% pay2,957 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job now

    Pays about 6% more—$97,496 vs your $91,813 here.

    What the move takes

    Usually requires a bachelor's degree.

    Getting ready typically takes two to four years.

    Skills you already have

    • Education and Training
    • English Language
    • Learning Strategies
    • Instructing
    • Oral Expression

    New skills to build

    • Philosophy and Theology
    • History and Archeology
  • Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary

    Somewhat similar work
    +54% pay1,578 openings/yrAbout as exposed as your job now

    Pays about 54% more—$141,162 vs your $91,813 here.

    What the move takes

    A step up—usually requires a master's degree, with 5 years or more of experience.

    Getting ready typically takes more than four years.

    Skills you already have

    • Education and Training
    • Learning Strategies
    • English Language
    • Instructing
    • Speech Clarity

    New skills to build

    • Management of Financial Resources
    • Management of Personnel Resources
    • Administration and Management
    • Management of Material Resources
    • Systems Evaluation