What Do Directors of Special Education Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for directors of special education?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what directors of special education do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Directors of Special Education Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about directors of special education by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Directors of Special Education plan, direct, or coordinate the academic, administrative, or auxiliary activities of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools.
Popular Job Titles For Directors of Special Education
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Assistant Principals
- Principals
- High School Assistant Principals
- Elementary Principals
- School Principals
- Elementary School Principals
- Middle School Principals
- High School Principals
- Middle School Assistant Principals
- Superintendents
- Deans of Students
- Elementary Assistant Principals
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for directors of special education can be found.
Best Industries for Directors of Special Education
Directors of Special Education Jobs By Industry
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 76.5%
- Elementary and Secondary Schools: 20.7%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 0.8%
- Religious Organizations: 0.6%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 0.4%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 0.3%
- Other: 0.7%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of directors of special education can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (Local Government) sector. In 2022, about 76.5% of all jobs for directors of special education were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Elementary and Secondary Schools (20.7%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (0.8%), Religious Organizations (0.6%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (0.4%) and State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (0.3%).
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What Do Directors of Special Education Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what directors of special education do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work directors of special education do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that directors of special education tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for directors of special education, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Directors of Special Education
Based on 79,396 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Directors of Special Education
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | 9,826 | 12% |
| Student Services | 6,668 | 8% |
| Curriculum Development | 6,590 | 8% |
| Data Analysis | 5,263 | 7% |
| Project Management | 4,749 | 6% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Directors of Special Education
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 37,058 | 47% |
| Leadership | 30,805 | 39% |
| Teaching | 24,923 | 31% |
| Management | 22,818 | 29% |
| Planning | 19,908 | 25% |
Based on 79,396 job postings related to directors of special education, special education was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 12% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for student services, curriculum development, data analysis, project management and individualized education programs (iep) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for directors of special education, followed by leadership, teaching, management, planning and operations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | 9,826 | 12% |
| Student Services | 6,668 | 8% |
| Curriculum Development | 6,590 | 8% |
| Data Analysis | 5,263 | 7% |
| Project Management | 4,749 | 6% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 4,496 | 6% |
| Office Equipment | 4,097 | 5% |
| Public Relations | 4,041 | 5% |
| Classroom Management | 3,995 | 5% |
| Marketing | 3,711 | 5% |
| Accounting | 3,707 | 5% |
| Educational Administration | 3,633 | 5% |
| Finance | 3,448 | 4% |
| Lesson Planning | 3,327 | 4% |
| Auditing | 3,307 | 4% |
| Instructional Strategies | 3,262 | 4% |
| Data Collection | 3,060 | 4% |
| Student Information Systems | 3,056 | 4% |
| Pedagogy | 2,645 | 3% |
| Purchasing | 2,522 | 3% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 37,058 | 47% |
| Leadership | 30,805 | 39% |
| Teaching | 24,923 | 31% |
| Management | 22,818 | 29% |
| Planning | 19,908 | 25% |
| Operations | 17,382 | 22% |
| Writing | 14,640 | 18% |
| Coordinating | 13,839 | 17% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 11,731 | 15% |
| Research | 11,505 | 14% |
| Problem Solving | 10,652 | 13% |
| Coaching | 9,592 | 12% |
| Customer Service | 7,758 | 10% |
| Scheduling | 7,499 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 7,471 | 9% |
| Educational Leadership | 7,419 | 9% |
| Administrative Functions | 7,323 | 9% |
| Decision Making | 6,786 | 9% |
| Detail Oriented | 6,426 | 8% |
| English Language | 6,214 | 8% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Directors of Special Education
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant Principals | 10,037 | 19.1% |
| Principals | 7,860 | 14.9% |
| High School Assistant Principals | 3,684 | 7% |
| Elementary Principals | 2,696 | 5.1% |
| School Principals | 3,037 | 5.8% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was assistant principals, with 4,387 unique job postings. Principals were second, with 1,999 postings, followed by high school assistant principals, elementary principals and school principals.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to directors of special education.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant Principals | 10,037 | 19.1% |
| Principals | 7,860 | 14.9% |
| High School Assistant Principals | 3,684 | 7% |
| Elementary Principals | 2,696 | 5.1% |
| School Principals | 3,037 | 5.8% |
| Elementary School Principals | 2,681 | 5.1% |
| Middle School Principals | 2,238 | 4.3% |
| High School Principals | 2,672 | 5.1% |
| Middle School Assistant Principals | 2,085 | 4% |
| Superintendents | 1,891 | 3.6% |
| Deans of Students | 2,047 | 3.9% |
| Elementary Assistant Principals | 1,789 | 3.4% |
| Heads of School | 1,925 | 3.7% |
| High School Directors | 1,713 | 3.3% |
| Elementary School Assistant Principals | 1,125 | 2.1% |
| Athletic Directors | 1,184 | 2.2% |
| Assistant Superintendents | 1,091 | 2.1% |
| School Coordinators | 1,096 | 2.1% |
| Directors of Assessment | 1,019 | 1.9% |
| Middle School Directors | 771 | 1.5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for directors of special education? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for directors of special education.
How much do directors of special education make?
Directors of Special Education: How do you become one?
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