Special Education Teachers, Elementary School

Educational Instruction and Library Occupations

O*NET-SOC code: 25-2056.00

Teach academic, social, and life skills to elementary 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.

Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.28
0.09Range of values carried here0.70
Group-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
Source dataset (PDF download)
Data source: OpenAIPublished: 2023
0.350
0.000Range of values carried here0.844
Scale, basis and source
Human-rater β, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Source dataset (CSV download)

Task-level exposure

Exposed tasks only

30 rated tasks · 16 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (53.3%)

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

Tasks of O*NET-SOC 2010 occupation 25-2052.00 Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School, linked to this occupation by the O*NET-SOC 2010 to 2019 crosswalk

Task (O*NET 20.1)	Claude.aiRaw / share %
Present information in audio-visual or interactive formats, using computers, televisions, audio-visual aids, or other equipment, materials, or technologies. 25-2052.00	0.018821.2
Prepare, administer, or grade tests or assignments to evaluate students' progress. 25-2052.00	0.018120.4
Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health. 25-2052.00	0.017720.0
Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills. 25-2052.00	0.011412.9
Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study following curriculum guidelines or school or state requirements. 25-2052.00	0.00677.5
Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration. 25-2052.00	0.00596.6
Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement. 25-2052.00	0.00353.9
Interpret the results of standardized tests to determine students' strengths and areas of need. 25-2052.00	0.00333.7
Interpret or transcribe classroom materials into Braille or sign language. 25-2052.00	0.00333.7
Not observed on any surface — 31 task(s) — These tasks have no row in the source for this release. The 0 in the share row is a display-stage composition ratio; absence is what the — in the raw row states.
Administer standardized ability and achievement tests to kindergarten or elementary students with special needs.	—0
Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise kindergarten or elementary school programs.	—0
Confer with other staff members to plan or schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.	—0
Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs).	—0
Confer with parents, guardians, teachers, counselors, or administrators to resolve students' behavioral or academic problems.	—0
Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.	—0
Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.	—0
Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.	—0
Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.	—0
Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades.	—0
Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students.	—0
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.	—0
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage.	—0
Instruct special needs students in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques, such as phonetics, multisensory learning, or repetition to reinforce learning and meet students' varying needs.	—0
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.	—0
Modify the general kindergarten or elementary education curriculum for special-needs students.	—0
Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development.	—0
Plan or conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.	—0
Plan or supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, demonstrations, or visits by guest speakers.	—0
Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.	—0
Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy.	—0
Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence.	—0
Control the inventory or distribution of classroom equipment, materials, or supplies.	—0
Guide or counsel students with adjustment problems, academic problems, or special academic interests.	—0
Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.	—0
Monitor teachers or teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program requirements.	—0
Perform administrative duties, such as assisting in school libraries, hall or cafeteria monitoring, or bus loading or unloading.	—0
Prepare assignments for teacher assistants or volunteers.	—0
Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.	—0
Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation.	—0
Visit schools to tutor students with sensory impairments or to consult with teachers regarding students' special needs.	—0

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
Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence. O*NET Task ID 22360	1.0
Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students. O*NET Task ID 22367	1.0
Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations. O*NET Task ID 22374	1.0
Administer standardized ability and achievement tests to elementary students with special needs. O*NET Task ID 22359	0.5
Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise elementary school programs. O*NET Task ID 22361	0.5
Confer with other staff members to plan or schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula. O*NET Task ID 22362	0.5
Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, or social development. O*NET Task ID 22363	0.5
Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes. O*NET Task ID 22364	0.5
Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities. O*NET Task ID 22365	0.5
Interpret the results of standardized tests to determine students' strengths and areas of need. O*NET Task ID 22373	0.5
Modify the general elementary education curriculum for special-needs students. O*NET Task ID 22376	0.5
Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health. O*NET Task ID 22378	0.5
Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills. O*NET Task ID 22379	0.5
Plan or conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate. O*NET Task ID 22381	0.5
Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or school or state requirements. O*NET Task ID 22384	0.5
Prepare, administer, or grade tests or assignments to evaluate students' progress. O*NET Task ID 22385	0.5
Show 6 more tasks ▾Show less ▴
Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades. O*NET Task ID 22366	0.0
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students. O*NET Task ID 22368	0.0
Guide or counsel students with adjustment problems, academic problems, or special academic interests. O*NET Task ID 22369	0.0
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage. O*NET Task ID 22370	0.0
Instruct special needs students in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques, such as phonetics, multisensory learning, or repetition to reinforce learning and meet students' varying needs. O*NET Task ID 22371	0.0
Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation. O*NET Task ID 22372	0.0
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. O*NET Task ID 22375	0.0
Monitor teachers or teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program requirements. O*NET Task ID 22377	0.0
Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development. O*NET Task ID 22380	0.0
Plan or supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, demonstrations, or visits by guest speakers. O*NET Task ID 22382	0.0
Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play. O*NET Task ID 22383	0.0
Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms. O*NET Task ID 22386	0.0
Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement. O*NET Task ID 22387	0.0
Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy. O*NET Task ID 22388	0.0

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®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page

All O*NET 31.0 task statements (30)

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
Administer standardized ability and achievement tests to elementary students with special needs.	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 elementary school programs.	Core
Confer with other staff members to plan or schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.	Core
Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, or social development.	Core
Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.	Core
Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.	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.	Core
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.	Core
Guide or counsel students with adjustment problems, academic problems, or special academic interests.	Core
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage.	Core
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.	Core
Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation.	Core
Interpret the results of standardized tests to determine students' strengths and areas of need.	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
Modify the general elementary education 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 display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills.	Core
Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development.	Core
Plan or conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.	Core
Plan or supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, demonstrations, or visits by guest speakers.	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 school or state requirements.	Core
Prepare, administer, or grade tests or assignments to evaluate students' progress.	Core
Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.	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

Anthropic, "What work can robots do?"2026-09

0.02/ 3· Robot exposure index

0 none3 unstructured settings

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.

Source dataset

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
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
Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation.	E0 none
Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills.	E0 none
Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development.	E0 none
Plan or supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, demonstrations, or visits by guest speakers.	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
Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.	E0 none

Employment outlook (BLS)

The BLS Employment Projections table has no row for SOC 25-2056.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — Employment by detailed occupation, 2025 and projected 2035

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
26231	시각장애인 특수교육 교사	Overlapping, not the same	confirmed
26232	청각장애인 특수교육 교사	Overlapping, not the same	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.

special educational needs teacher primary schoolESCO 2352.1.5Same scope
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.
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 itinerant teacherESCO 2352.1.4This occupation is broader
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 coordinatorESCO 2351.4Overlapping, not the same
Special educational needs coordinators oversee programmes and activities that provide educational support to children with a variety of disabilities. They ensure they are up to date with the latest developments in the special needs research field with the objective of facilitating the special education processes needed to maximise the growth and learning potential of students with special learning needs, and advise the special education principal of these developments and new programme proposals.

Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)

License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)

View original

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	This occupation is narrowerprovisional
K2127	Professeur / Professeure d'enseignement général pour déficients sensoriels	Related, not a matchprovisional

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
84134	Lehrkräfte an Förderschulen - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten	This occupation is narrower

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	Overlapping, not the sameprovisional
192	小学校教員	Related, not a matchprovisional

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