Teaching Assistants, Special Education
SOC Code: 25-9043 Job Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed
Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher to provide academic, social, or life skills to students who have learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Teaching Assistants, Special Education. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $83,636,800 | $95,590,560 | $107,542,240 | $119,496,000 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $83,470,400 | $93,876,640 | $104,284,960 | $114,691,200 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $83,054,400 | $93,433,600 | $103,812,800 | $114,192,000 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $86,216,000 | $94,529,760 | $102,841,440 | $111,155,200 |
| Decatur, IL | $66,996,800 | $80,947,360 | $94,895,840 | $108,846,400 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $79,788,800 | $89,425,440 | $99,064,160 | $108,700,800 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $76,232,000 | $87,020,960 | $97,807,840 | $108,596,800 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $82,409,600 | $91,124,800 | $99,840,000 | $108,555,200 |
| Salinas, CA | $77,064,000 | $87,256,000 | $97,448,000 | $107,640,000 |
| Napa, CA | $78,104,000 | $87,927,840 | $97,753,760 | $107,577,600 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.9 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.8 | |
| Speaking | 3.8 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 | |
| Monitoring | 3.6 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 | |
| Learning Strategies | 3.6 | |
| Instructing | 3.5 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 | |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| English Language | 3.5 |
| Psychology | 3.4 |
| Education and Training | 2.9 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.7 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.6 |
| History and Archeology | 2.5 |
| Geography | 2.4 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 39.2% |
| High school diploma | 24.6% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 18.2% |
| Associate's degree | 14.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 3.5% |
Typical Tasks
- Carry out therapeutic regimens, such as behavior modification and personal development programs, under the supervision of special education instructors, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists.
- Clean classrooms.
- Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts.
- Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students.
- Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
- Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
- Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word Appletree Automate the Schools ATS Blackboard software Children's educational software ClassDojo Email software Flipgrid Google Classroom Google Meet Hand held spell checkers
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