How To Become A Resource Specialist Teacher: What It Is and Career Path

What is a resource specialist teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Chris Halter

Resource specialists provide educational instruction to special needs students to ensure their educational success. They work in schools during standard school hours. They teach special classes with a modified curriculum to match their developmental level and needs. Additionally, they counsel these students in both life and professional skills.

These professionals work with both parents and teachers to report progress and discuss any problems or incidents affecting a student's ability to succeed. Furthermore, they create and implement individualized education programs (IEPs) for their students. Additionally, they monitor the students to identify and report developmental roadblocks.

Most resource specialists have a bachelor's degree and a teaching license. Employers require at least a year of experience in a related role. You must possess teaching, curriculum planning, and communication skills. You must be experienced with using classroom management software and equipment. Research specialists are paid about $56,047 yearly. Their salary varies from $34,000 to $93,000.

What general advice would you give to a resource specialist teacher?

Chris Halter

Senior Teaching Professor, University of California - San Diego

Like any field, education is changing and adapting to the needs of today. Anyone in education must have strong digital literacy and be able to fluidly integrate the use of technology into their work. Along with that we need data literacy. The ability to understand data and to make decisions based on the data will help guide our decisions. Cultural literacy and competency is also crucial in any social, community-based field. To truly serve others, we must understand the strengths that come from each community.

ScoreResource Specialist TeacherUS Average

Salary

4.1

Avg. Salary $52,552

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.5

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.42%

Asian 8.58%

Black or African American 10.17%

Hispanic or Latino 19.58%

Unknown 4.71%

White 55.55%

Gender

female 71.30%

male 28.70%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.4

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a resource specialist teacher

Explore resource specialist teacher education requirements

Most common resource specialist teacher degrees

Bachelor's

58.5 %

Master's

29.8 %

Associate

5.8 %

Start to develop specific resource specialist teacher skills

Skills	Percentages
Professional Development	8.32%
Classroom Management	7.22%
Autism	6.76%
Learning Process	6.12%
Staff Development	6.09%

Research resource specialist teacher duties and responsibilities

Coordinate students' daily schedules with general education teachers and support providers so that their IEP goals and objectives are accomplished.
Manage curriculum, facilitate IEP meetings and interface with school psychologists and social workers.
Assist children on the autism spectrum academically and socially to achieve integration into a mainstream educational environment.
Advance academic achievement by effectively teaching math and language arts skills to middle school students with learning disabilities.

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