How to hire an emotional support teacher

How to hire an emotional support teacher, step by step

Here's a step-by-step emotional support teacher hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an emotional support teacher job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new emotional support teacher
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an emotional support teacher, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an emotional support teacher to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an emotional support teacher that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of emotional support teachers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Emotional Support Teacher	Description	Hourly rate
   Emotional Support Teacher	Special education teachers work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. They adapt general education lessons and teach various subjects, such as reading, writing, and math, to students with mild and moderate disabilities... Show more	$9-23
   Teacher Internship	Teaching interns are individuals who assist teachers and educators in the classroom. The interns are instructed to fulfill the tasks set out and provided by the supervisors for them... Show more	$16-32
   Teacher	Being a teacher is one of the most passionate professions, among others. Teachers educate, motivate, and guide every generation of learners to prepare them for the real world... Show more	$15-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Classroom Management
   • Behavioral Problems
   • Classroom Environment
   • Behavior Support
   • Mathematics
   • IEPs
   • Autism
   • Math
   • Progress Monitoring
   • Learning Styles
   • Data Collection
   • Professional Development
   • Social Studies
   • FBAs

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Increase student reading and mathematics abilities by collaborating with administrators on small reading group and math group interventions.
   • Provide specialized ABA therapy for children with autism including developing behavior plans and teach in a natural environment.
   • Substitute teacher in math, Norwegian literature, history, and science : 1st-10th grade.
   • Provide instruction of the regular education curriculum in the areas of math, English, science, and American government.
   • Conduct preschool evaluations; work closely with school district faculty in determining placement of each student within kindergarten program.
   • Co-Plan and co-taught project-base units of inquiry with other classroom teachers that embed authentic use of technology.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your emotional support teacher job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An emotional support teacher salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, emotional support teachers' average salary in mississippi is 50% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level emotional support teachers earn 58% less than senior-level emotional support teachers.
   • Certifications. An emotional support teacher with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an emotional support teacher's salary.

   Average emotional support teacher salary

   $15.23hourly

   $31,687 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level emotional support teacher salary

   $20,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 29, 2026

4. Writing an emotional support teacher job description

   An emotional support teacher job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an emotional support teacher job description:

   Emotional support teacher job description example

   To plan, organize, and present instruction and instructional environments in which exceptional children learn subject matter and skills that will contribute to their educational, behavioral, and social emotional development.
   Essential Duties: (These duties represent a sample and may vary by position.)
   Strives to implement by instruction and action the district's philosophy of education and instructional goals and objectives. Demonstrates an appreciation for diversity among students, colleagues, and parents. Participates in faculty and professional meetings, educational conferences and teacher training workshops as required by the position. Collaborates with other educators to create the complete educational environment possible for students. Keeps attendance and grade records as required by school. Prepares for classes assigned and shows written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate superior. Establishes clear objectives for all academic and pro-social skills lessons, communicates these goals to students, and designs instruction to support students in the acquisition of these skills. Meets and instructs assigned classes in the locations and at the times designated. Follows established school procedures for crisis or emergency situations. Develops and maintains Individual Education Programs (IEPs) for students modifies curriculum/instruction to meet the academic and behavioral/emotional needs of students as documented on IEPs. Maintains accurate, complete, and correct records as required by law, district policy, and administrative regulation. Assesses the accomplishments of students on a regular basis and provides progress reports as required; meets with parents to discuss student progress and problems. Administers and interprets individual educational testing using various testing materials. Utilizes data to ascertain progress towards academic and behavioral/emotional goals. Employs a variety of research based instructional techniques and technology, to meet needs and address the strengths of the individuals or student groups involved. Structures a proactive classroom setting suitable to manage the emotional/behavioral deficits of the students and appropriate for their maturity and interests. Instructs students in positive behavioral skills which meet school behavioral expectations in all settings. Designs and implements environmental modifications and management procedures which proactively address student behavioral expectations across all settings . Utilizes functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and analysis to identify the function of inappropriate student behavior. Develops behavioral intervention plans (BIPs) and IEP goals and objectives based upon the function of the inappropriate behavior, and /or manifestations designing instructional strategies for appropriate replacement behavior. Utilizes appropriate positive behavior intervention strategies to deescalate student behavioral excesses. Utilizes technology to provide individualized classroom materials, such as schedules or work tasks. Provides differential instruction in a variety of settings to include: one-to-one, small group and whole group. Utilizes principles of applied behavioral analysis to include: data collection, prompt hierarchy, preference assessment and systematic instruction. Performs related duties as assigned. Education and Experience:
   
   Minimum
   Bachelor's degree in Special Education Desirable
   State Approved training for seclusion and restraint procedures Master's degree in Special Education Licensing / Certification Requirements:
   North Carolina Teaching License and Certification in Special Education. Knowledge / Skills / Abilities:
   Knowledge of local, state and federal regulations and laws pertaining to exceptional children. Knowledge and ability to use current technology and alternate forms of communication relevant to specific disabilities. This may include low-tech and high-tech devices. Ability to produce communication in oral and written formats in a professional manner. Knowledge of classroom management and differentiation techniques. Knowledge of the Individual Education Program process. Ability to use research-based techniques in instruction and behavior management Ability to produce effective lesson plans Ability to use data analysis for instructional decision making Ability to comply with local, state and federal guidelines Ability to deliver the curriculum, and extensions of the curriculum using Inclusive Practices, as appropriate Ability to effectively interact with principals, co-workers, students, and parents # of Jobs 1.00
   
   Teacher Scale Y
   
   Additional Job Information
   
   Physical Requirements: The work requires a combination of walking, sitting and standing. It requires the ability to communicate effectively using speech, vision and hearing. The work requires the use of hands for simple grasping and fine manipulations. The work at times requires bending, squatting, reaching, with the ability to carry, push or pull light weights. Will regularly require sufficient physical strength and ability to exert physical effort as needed for crisis intervention or handling objects over 30 pounds.
   
   This position includes a $5,000 recruitment bonus for qualified candidates
   
   Job Attachment View Attachment
   
   In compliance with Federal Law, Charlotte - Mecklenburg Schools administers all education programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, age or disability.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find emotional support teachers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your emotional support teacher job on Zippia to find and attract quality emotional support teacher candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting emotional support teachers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new emotional support teacher

   Once you've found the emotional support teacher candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new emotional support teacher. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an emotional support teacher?