Reading specialist vs special education preschool teacher

The differences between reading specialists and special education preschool teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a reading specialist has an average salary of $57,978, which is higher than the $48,705 average annual salary of a special education preschool teacher.

The top three skills for a reading specialist include language arts, student learning and assessment data. The most important skills for a special education preschool teacher are autism, classroom environment, and ieps.

Reading specialist vs special education preschool teacher overview

	Reading Specialist	Special Education Preschool Teacher
Yearly salary	$57,978	$48,705
Hourly rate	$27.87	$23.42
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	2,386	64,239
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	-

Reading specialist vs special education preschool teacher salary

Reading specialists and special education preschool teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Reading Specialist	Special Education Preschool Teacher
Average salary	$57,978	$48,705
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $76,000	Between $33,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Central State University	Baltimore City Public Schools
Best paying industry	Education	Education

Differences between reading specialist and special education preschool teacher education

There are a few differences between a reading specialist and a special education preschool teacher in terms of educational background:

	Reading Specialist	Special Education Preschool Teacher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Elementary Education	Special Education
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Reading specialist vs special education preschool teacher demographics

Here are the differences between reading specialists' and special education preschool teachers' demographics:

	Reading Specialist	Special Education Preschool Teacher
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 13.3% Female, 86.7%	Male, 5.1% Female, 94.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 3.6% White, 70.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 3.6% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between reading specialist and special education preschool teacher duties and responsibilities

Reading specialist example responsibilities.

Assist children on the autism spectrum academically and socially to achieve integration into a mainstream educational environment.
Coordinate and direct the annual drama production.
Provide direct services to the RTI students through the best guide reading practices.
Coordinate and execute all festive cultural events for families of students in grades k-12.
Organize school-wide educational events and activities specific to the needs of children with autism.
Review basics of writing essays, discussion of reading selection, and development of writing skills.

Special education preschool teacher example responsibilities.

Work in collaboration with a team of PTs, OTs, and SLPs to achieve educational goals.
Instruct students with disabilities, including autism, learning disabilities and early childhood delays.
Work as the lead classroom teacher in a preschool classroom for children with autism and relate disorders.
Communicate with supervising instructional staff and professional support personnel for the purpose of assisting in evaluating progress and/or implementing IEP objectives.
Improve students' communication and self-help skills.
Conduct FBA's and create BIP's as needed.

Reading specialist vs special education preschool teacher skills

Common reading specialist skills

Language Arts, 6%
Student Learning, 5%
Assessment Data, 5%
K-8, 4%
Staff Development, 4%
Instructional Strategies, 4%

Common special education preschool teacher skills

Autism, 23%
Classroom Environment, 12%
IEPs, 7%
Classroom Management, 6%
ABA, 6%
NYS, 5%

Reading Specialist vs. similar jobs

Reading Specialist related careers

Reading Specialist related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Education, Training, and Library Industry
Reading Specialist
Reading Specialist vs Special Education Preschool Teacher

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse education, training, and library jobs