What Do High School Educators Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for high school educators?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what high school educators 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.
High School Educators Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about high school educators by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
High School Educators teach academic, social, and life skills to secondary 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.
Popular Job Titles For High School Educators
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- High School Special Education Teachers
- High School Teachers
- Special Education Teachers
- Mild/Moderate Special Education Teachers
- Middle/High School Teachers
- Special Education Life Skills Teachers
- Long Term Substitute Special Education Teachers
- Classroom Instructors
- Middle School Special Education Teachers
- Secondary Special Education Teachers
- Self-Contained Special Education Teachers
- High School English Teachers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for high school educators can be found.
Best Industries for High School Educators
High School Educators Jobs By Industry
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 85.5%
- Elementary and Secondary Schools: 11.4%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 1.4%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 0.5%
- Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities: 0.3%
- Educational Support Services: 0.2%
- Other: 0.7%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of high school educators can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (Local Government) sector. In 2023, about 85.5% of all jobs for high school educators were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Elementary and Secondary Schools (11.4%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (1.4%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (0.5%), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (0.3%) and Educational Support Services (0.2%).
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Degree Options for High School Educators
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- Class Type: Online coursework
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do High School Educators Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what high school educators 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 high school educators 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 high school educators tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for high school educators, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's High School Educators
Based on 1,381 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for High School Educators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | 1,337 | 97% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 698 | 51% |
| Lesson Planning | 287 | 21% |
| Curriculum Development | 205 | 15% |
| Disabilities | 205 | 15% |
Top 5 Common Skills for High School Educators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 804 | 58% |
| Communication | 520 | 38% |
| Planning | 287 | 21% |
| Writing | 230 | 17% |
| Progress Reporting | 204 | 15% |
Based on 1,381 job postings related to high school educators, special education was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 97% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for individualized education programs (iep), lesson planning, curriculum development, disabilities and classroom management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, teaching was the most desired skill found in job postings for high school educators, followed by communication, planning, writing, progress reporting and mathematics.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | 1,337 | 97% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 698 | 51% |
| Lesson Planning | 287 | 21% |
| Curriculum Development | 205 | 15% |
| Disabilities | 205 | 15% |
| Classroom Management | 185 | 13% |
| Instructional Strategies | 138 | 10% |
| Learning Styles | 129 | 9% |
| Differentiated Instruction | 126 | 9% |
| Behavior Management | 125 | 9% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 119 | 9% |
| Educational Assessment | 116 | 8% |
| Data Collection | 106 | 8% |
| Student Engagement | 102 | 7% |
| Learning Disabilities | 89 | 6% |
| Life Skills Development | 85 | 6% |
| Effective Communication | 80 | 6% |
| Student Services | 79 | 6% |
| Progress Monitoring | 69 | 5% |
| Case Management | 66 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 804 | 58% |
| Communication | 520 | 38% |
| Planning | 287 | 21% |
| Writing | 230 | 17% |
| Progress Reporting | 204 | 15% |
| Mathematics | 176 | 13% |
| English Language | 159 | 12% |
| Management | 155 | 11% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 120 | 9% |
| Research | 120 | 9% |
| Coaching | 110 | 8% |
| Problem Solving | 91 | 7% |
| Leadership | 90 | 7% |
| Parent Communication | 83 | 6% |
| Social Skills | 82 | 6% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 80 | 6% |
| Coordinating | 79 | 6% |
| Professionalism | 79 | 6% |
| Decision Making | 75 | 5% |
| Multilingualism | 73 | 5% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for High School Educators
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| High School Special Education Teachers | 3,337 | 78% |
| High School Teachers | 306 | 7.1% |
| Special Education Teachers | 83 | 1.9% |
| Mild/Moderate Special Education Teachers | 161 | 3.8% |
| Middle/High School Teachers | 105 | 2.5% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was high school special education teachers, with 934 unique job postings. High school teachers were second, with 56 postings, followed by special education teachers, mild/moderate special education teachers and middle/high school teachers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to high school educators.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| High School Special Education Teachers | 3,337 | 78% |
| High School Teachers | 306 | 7.1% |
| Special Education Teachers | 83 | 1.9% |
| Mild/Moderate Special Education Teachers | 161 | 3.8% |
| Middle/High School Teachers | 105 | 2.5% |
| Special Education Life Skills Teachers | 44 | 1% |
| Long Term Substitute Special Education Teachers | 40 | 0.9% |
| Classroom Instructors | 35 | 0.8% |
| Middle School Special Education Teachers | 57 | 1.3% |
| Secondary Special Education Teachers | 10 | 0.2% |
| Self-Contained Special Education Teachers | 11 | 0.3% |
| High School English Teachers | 8 | 0.2% |
| High School Science Teachers | 13 | 0.3% |
| High School Instructors | 13 | 0.3% |
| High School Mathematics Teachers | 10 | 0.2% |
| Special Education Autism Teachers | 14 | 0.3% |
| Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teachers | 7 | 0.2% |
| High School Ela Teachers | 11 | 0.3% |
| Special Education Inclusion Teachers | 6 | 0.1% |
| High School Educators | 9 | 0.2% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for high school educators? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for high school educators.
How much do high school educators make?
High School Educators: How do you become one?
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