Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 25-2051.00
Teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged 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.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.006
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.28
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 26 hidden tasks36 rated tasks · 10 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (27.8%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students, parents, or guardians.O*NET Task ID 19071 | 1.0 |
Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.O*NET Task ID 19093 | 1.0 |
Prepare assignments for teacher assistants or volunteers.O*NET Task ID 19096 | 1.0 |
Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.O*NET Task ID 19097 | 1.0 |
Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.O*NET Task ID 19067 | 0.5 |
Modify the general preschool curriculum for special-needs students.O*NET Task ID 19074 | 0.5 |
Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements.O*NET Task ID 19080 | 0.5 |
Present information in audio-visual or interactive formats, using computers, television, audio-visual aids, or other equipment, materials, or technologies.O*NET Task ID 19081 | 0.5 |
Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs).O*NET Task ID 19090 | 0.5 |
Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills.O*NET Task ID 19095 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (36)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Arrange indoor or outdoor space to facilitate creative play, motor-skill activities, or safety. | Core |
| Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, or changing their diapers. | Core |
| Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement. | Core |
| Confer with parents, guardians, teachers, counselors, or administrators to resolve students' behavioral or academic problems. | Core |
| Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development. | Core |
| Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities. | Core |
| Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory. | Core |
| Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades. | Core |
| Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students, parents, or guardians. | Core |
| Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students. | Core |
| Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage. | Core |
| Modify the general preschool curriculum for students with disabilities. | Core |
| Monitor teachers or teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program requirements. | Core |
| Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health. | Core |
| Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development. | Core |
| Plan and supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, or demonstrations. | Core |
| Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play. | Core |
| Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements. | Core |
| Present information in audio-visual or interactive formats, using computers, television, audio-visual aids, or other equipment, materials, or technologies. | Core |
| Read books to entire classes or to small groups. | Core |
| Serve meals or snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines. | Core |
| Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs. | Core |
| Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement. | Core |
| Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy. | Core |
| Administer tests to help determine children's developmental levels, needs, or potential. | Core |
| Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence. | Core |
| Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise preschool programs. | Core |
| Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs). | Core |
| Control the inventory or distribution of classroom equipment, materials, or supplies. | Core |
| Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes. | Core |
| Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations. | Core |
| 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. | Core |
| Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills. | Core |
| Prepare assignments for teacher assistants or volunteers. | Core |
| Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration. | Core |
| Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms. | Core |
0.09/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Arrange indoor or outdoor space to facilitate creative play, motor-skill activities, or safety. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, or changing their diapers. | E0 none |
| Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities. | E0 none |
| Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory. | E0 none |
| Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students. | E0 none |
| Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage. | E0 none |
| Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development. | E0 none |
| Plan and supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, or demonstrations. | E0 none |
| Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs. | E0 none |
| Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy. | E0 none |
| Administer tests to help determine children's developmental levels, needs, or potential. | E0 none |
| Control the inventory or distribution of classroom equipment, materials, or supplies. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms. | E0 none |
| Serve meals or snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 31K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 31K
- Change (2025–35)
- +2.4%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $64,830
- Typical education needed for entry
- Bachelor's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26239 | 그 외 특수교육 교사 | This occupation is narrower | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 2352Special Needs Teachers
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Special needs teachers teach physically or mentally handicapped children, young persons, or adults, or those with learning difficulties or other special needs. They promote the social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of their students.
Tasks
- (a) assessing students' abilities and limitations with regard to intellectual, physical, social and emotional impairments, exceptional intellectual gifts, or other specific problems;
- (b) designing or modifying curricula and preparing and delivering programmes, lessons and activities adapted to students’ abilities and needs;
- (c) giving instruction on an individual or group basis using special techniques or aids appropriate to students’ needs;
- (d) employing special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory;
- (e) establishing and enforcing rules for behaviour and policies and procedures to maintain order among students;
- (f) teaching academic subjects and practical and self-help skills to students with hearing, sight and other impairments;
- (g) stimulating and developing students’ confidence interests, abilities, manual skills and coordination;
- (h) conferring with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons for special needs students;
- (i) preparing and maintaining student data and other records and submitting reports;
- (j) administering various forms of assessment and evaluating progress of each student;
- (k) conferring with students, parents, head teacher and other relevant professionals involved in the students’ care to develop individual educational plans designed to promote students' development.
Example occupations
Learning disabilities special education teacher · Learning support teacher · Remedial teacher · Teacher of gifted children · Teacher of the hearing impaired · Teacher of the sight impaired
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- early years special educational needs teacherESCO 2352.1.2This occupation is narrower
Early years special educational needs teachers provide specially-designed instruction to students with a variety of disabilities on a kindergarten level and ensure they reach their learning potential. Some early years special educational needs teachers work with children who have mild to moderate disabilities, implementing a modified curriculum to fit each student's specific needs. Other early years special educational needs teachers assist and instruct students with intellectual disabilities and autism, focusing on teaching them basic literacy and life skills. All teachers assess the students' progress, taking into account their strengths and weaknesses, and communicate their findings to parents, counselors, administrators and other parties involved.
- special educational needs teacherESCO 2352.1This occupation is narrower
Special educational needs teachers work with and teach children, young people, and adults with an intellectual or physical disability. They use a range of specialised concepts, strategies and tools to optimise learners' communication, mobility, autonomy, and social integration. They select teaching methods and support resources to enable individual learners to maximise their potential for independent living.
- special educational needs assistantESCO 5312.4Overlapping, not the same
Special educational needs assistants assist special education teachers in their classroom duties. They tend to the physical needs of students with a variety of disabilities and help out with tasks such as bathroom breaks, bus rides, eating and classroom switches. They also provide instructional support to students, teachers and parents and prepare lesson programmes. Special educational needs assistants supply support for students tailored to their specific needs, help out with challenging assignments and monitor students' progress and classroom behaviour.
- special educational needs itinerant teacherESCO 2352.1.4Overlapping, not the same
Special educational needs itinerant teachers instruct disabled or sick children in their homes. They are specialised teachers employed by (public) schools to teach those unable to physically attend school, but also to assist the student, the parents and the school in their communication. They also fulfil the function of a social school worker by helping the students and parents with a student's potential behavioural issues and enforce, if necessary, school attendance regulations. In case of a possible physical (re)admission to school, visiting teachers advise the school regarding suitable classroom guidance strategies and advisable teaching methods to support the student and make the transition as agreeable as possible.
- special educational needs teacher primary schoolESCO 2352.1.5Overlapping, not the same
Special educational needs teachers at primary schools provide specially-designed instruction to students with a variety of disabilities on a primary school level and ensure they reach their learning potential. Some special educational needs teachers at primary schools work with children who have mild to moderate disabilities, implementing a modified curriculum to fit each student's specific needs. Other special educational needs teachers at primary schools assist and instruct students with intellectual disabilities and autism, focusing on teaching them basic and advanced literacy, life and social skills. All teachers assess the students' progress, taking into account their strengths and weaknesses, and communicate their findings to parents, counselors, administrators and other parties involved.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| K2106 | Professeur / Professeure des écoles | Related, not a match |
| K2127 | Professeur / Professeure d'enseignement général pour déficients sensoriels | Related, not a match |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 2311 | Profesores de educación especial | This occupation is narrower |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 83133 | Berufe in Heilerziehungspflege und Sonderpädagogik - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 84134 | Lehrkräfte an Förderschulen - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 83134 | Berufe in Heilerziehungspflege und Sonderpädagogik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 196 | 特別支援学校教員 | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources