Special Education Teachers, Elementary School

Special Education Teachers, Elementary School score 32 out of 100, which is moderate exposure to AI. That ranks #511 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 30 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 3 on its own and 13 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 9 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

32/ 100

Moderate

Rank: #511of 923 jobs
US workers: 583,430for Special Education Teachers
Median pay: $67,170a year
In real AI use: 9 of 30tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 3 (10%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 13 (43%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 14 (47%)

Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence.AI can speed this up on its own
Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students.AI can speed this up on its own
Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.AI can speed this up on its own
Administer standardized ability and achievement tests to elementary students with special needs.AI can speed this up with extra software
Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise elementary school programs.AI can speed this up with extra software
Confer with other staff members to plan or schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.AI can speed this up with extra software
Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual educational plans (IEPs) for students' educational, physical, or social development.AI can speed this up with extra software
Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.AI can speed this up with extra software
Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.AI can speed this up with extra software · Seen in real AI use
Interpret the results of standardized tests to determine students' strengths and areas of need.AI can speed this up with extra software · Seen in real AI use
Modify the general elementary education curriculum for special-needs students.AI can speed this up with extra software
Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.AI can speed this up with extra software
Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills.AI can speed this up with extra software
Plan or conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.AI can speed this up with extra software · Seen in real AI use
Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or school or state requirements.AI can speed this up with extra software · Seen in real AI use
Prepare, administer, or grade tests or assignments to evaluate students' progress.AI can speed this up with extra software · Seen in real AI use
Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades.Little or no AI speed-up · Seen in real AI use
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.Little or no AI speed-up
Guide or counsel students with adjustment problems, academic problems, or special academic interests.Little or no AI speed-up · Seen in real AI use
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage.Little or no AI speed-up
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.Little or no AI speed-up
Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, or food preparation.Little or no AI speed-up
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.Little or no AI speed-up
Monitor teachers or teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program requirements.Little or no AI speed-up
Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development.Little or no AI speed-up · Seen in real AI use
Plan or supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, demonstrations, or visits by guest speakers.Little or no AI speed-up · Seen in real AI use
Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.Little or no AI speed-up
Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.Little or no AI speed-up
Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.Little or no AI speed-up
Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy.Little or no AI speed-up

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Questions about special education teachers, elementary school and AI

Will AI replace special education teachers, elementary school?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Special Education Teachers, Elementary School score 32 out of 100 (moderate exposure), #511 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 16 of the job's 30 tasks, 3 of them on its own, while 14 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which special education teachers, elementary school tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence"; "Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students"; "Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations".

Which special education teachers, elementary school tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades"; "Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students"; "Guide or counsel students with adjustment problems, academic problems, or special academic interests".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 9 of the 30 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as special education teachers, elementary school, and what do they earn?

About 583,430 people in the US (figure for Special Education Teachers), with median pay of $67,170 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.