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How to hire a general education teacher

General education teacher hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring general education teachers in the United States:

  • There are a total of 1,320,826 general education teachers in the US, and there are currently 101,124 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a general education teacher is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per general education teacher on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • New York, NY, has the highest demand for general education teachers, with 28 job openings.

How to hire a general education teacher, step by step

To hire a general education teacher, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a general education teacher:

Here's a step-by-step general education teacher hiring guide:

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

What does a general education teacher do?

A general education teacher teaches all students in a general education classroom a primary academic curriculum. They are tasked with the implementation of any modifications that affect a general classroom. They may also be expected to conduct academic assessments for all students to check their progress in the classroom. They may also have to conduct regular consultations with students, families, and specialists.

Learn more about the specifics of what a general education teacher does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your general education teacher job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a general education teacher for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect general education teacher also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents general education teacher salaries for various positions.

    Type of General Education TeacherDescriptionHourly rate
    General Education TeacherSpecial 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$11-25
    English Language TeacherAn English language teacher specializes in facilitating discussions and teaching the basic skills in reading and writing. Their responsibilities include developing lesson plans and coursework assessments, preparing learning activities, grading the students' homework and examinations, encouraging critical thinking, and monitoring their progress, assisting them in complicated areas as needed... Show more$19-39
    English As A Second Language TeacherAs the frontline in every school, the enrollment advisor works on answering students' queries about the university, its performance, the curriculum used, fees to be paid, scholarships provided, and even facilitate the on-campus tour. Should the student choose to enroll, the enrollment advisor helps process documents while also checking for course availability... Show more$20-34
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Classroom Management
    • Professional Development
    • Mathematics
    • Data Analysis
    • Student Data
    • Learning Environment
    • Math
    • Student Learning
    • Learning Process
    • State Standards
    • Student Performance
    • Classroom Environment
    • Parent-Teacher Conferences
    • Social Studies
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Utilize PLC time to meet the needs of struggling and achieving students
    • Design data-driven interventions in reading and math (RTI).
    • Create lesson plans and teach middle school students with specific learning disabilities, emotional disabilities and autism.
    • Develop IEPS base on student's performance.
    • Follow the guidelines for PBIS to create a positive learning environment
    • Deliver instruction in all subject areas to kindergarten and first grade students.
    More general education teacher duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your general education teacher job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A general education teacher salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for a general education teacher in Wisconsin may be lower than in California, and an entry-level general education teacher usually earns less than a senior-level general education teacher. Additionally, a general education teacher with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average general education teacher salary

    $36,253yearly

    $17.43 hourly rate

    Entry-level general education teacher salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 23, 2026

    Average general education teacher salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$50,693$24
    2New York$48,143$23
    3Connecticut$47,474$23
    4Massachusetts$45,053$22
    5District of Columbia$44,762$22
    6Pennsylvania$39,812$19
    7Nevada$35,756$17
    8Georgia$33,455$16
    9Illinois$32,629$16
    10Ohio$32,424$16
    11Missouri$32,193$15
    12Arizona$31,974$15
    13Colorado$31,725$15
    14Michigan$31,135$15
    15Virginia$31,067$15
    16Texas$30,664$15
    17Minnesota$29,733$14
    18Kansas$29,491$14
    19Montana$24,073$12

    Average general education teacher salary by company

  4. Writing a general education teacher job description

    A general education 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 a general education teacher job description:

    General education teacher job description example

    It is more than a job; it's a calling. It is where passion meets purpose. ADAPT Community Network, formerly United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of NYC (New York City) provides a multitude of services to people with developmental disabilities. At ADAPT, we are 3,000 strong, and it takes every one of us to empower the lives of the people we support. With care and great resources at hand, we know what it takes to help people live fuller, happier, healthier lives. Our employees show their commitment to the people we support every day, and we all deliver on our promise to provide innovative and comprehensive services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

    SUMMARY

    Under general direction, is responsible for conducting educational classes for special education preschool and school-age students Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) in accordance with the needs of the students and in accordance with the regulations and requirements of the applicable governmental and other regulatory agencies. Acts as team leader of each student’s team. The Teacher is responsible for supervising Teacher Assistants assigned to his/her team (class) orient; responsibly directs, and commends Teacher Assistants.
    Employee is responsible for conducting educational classes for young students, ages 3-4 years old, in a Pre-k/3K classroom. Acts as team leader of each student’s team. Is responsible for supervising Teacher Assistants assigned to his/her team.


    ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
    The duties and responsibilities of the Teacher will include, but are not limited to the following:


    • Plans and conducts classes/activities adapted to needs of students.
    • Implements and evaluates short and long-term goals and objectives.
    • Participates in activities pertaining to student transitioning.
    • Provides educational assessment and evaluation on students annually in all educational
    domains.
    • Prepares and adapts all individual and group lesson plans and materials, equipment and
    furniture arrangement and necessary modifications of environment.
    • Maintains records of daily attendance and progress. Writes periodic progress reports in accordance with best practice.
    • Ensures that care is rendered to students with utmost regard for their personal
    dignity, privacy and confidentiality.
    • Participates in activities outside classroom where necessary i.e. gym, playroom, playground, community walks, etc.
    • Attends regular staff meetings, including but not limited to team meetings, curriculum planning meetings, etc.

    • Creates weekly lesson plans based on exploratory play and monthly school themes/units.

    • Has regular communication with parents regarding student progress and general collaboration between school and home.

    • Creates and facilitates toilet training schedules and strategies when necessary.

    • Assists students on arrival and departure with their outer clothing as needed.

    • Substitutes in another classroom as requested.

    • Participates in in-service training programs as requested.

    • Confers with director or other agency personnel regarding problems, questions and suggestions for programming or handling of students.

    EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

    • Master’s Degree in Education
    • New York State Certification in Early Childhood Education or N-6 (for Day Care and UPK Teachers)
    • Meet all additional NYS Certification requirements
    • Must be available 8am-3:20pm Monday-Friday, year-round
    • COVID-19 vaccine required

    ADAPT Community Network is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Qualified candidates of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds and statuses are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

    Pay Range: $35-$42/hour

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right general education teacher for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your general education teacher job on Zippia to find and attract quality general education teacher candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit general education teachers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 general education teacher

    Once you have selected a candidate for the general education teacher position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    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.

    To prepare for the new general education teacher first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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 a general education teacher?

Recruiting general education teachers involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

The median annual salary for general education teachers is $36,253 in the US. However, the cost of general education teacher hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a general education teacher for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $11 and $25 an hour.

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