Special Education Teacher Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
Special education teachers in Los Angeles are paid on their own LAUSD salary table, starting at $71,835 for clear credential holders, and charter schools from Koreatown to Woodland Hills are hiring for 2026-27. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to earn the credential.
Current special education teacher Openings in Los Angeles, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Special Education Teacher Work in Los Angeles
LAUSD hires special education teachers through one continuous K-12 teacher application, which also covers specialties such as visual impairment and deaf education, and pays them on a separate SE salary table rather than the general teacher table. The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, which runs 20 LAUSD schools in Boyle Heights, South LA and Watts, recruits for early childhood special education, mild to moderate and extensive support needs classrooms on the same district pay.
Charter schools are the other big hirer. Green Dot Public Schools runs 18 charter schools in the greater Los Angeles area, Bright Star Schools is hiring an inclusion teacher at Rise Kohyang High in Koreatown, El Camino Real Charter High in Woodland Hills needs a resource specialist, and KIPP SoCal is filling resource and inclusion roles that include KIPP Endeavor College Prep in Boyle Heights. Many of these roles use inclusion or resource models, so you co-teach in general education classes as well as running your own caseload, and an English learner authorization is often expected.
Top Los Angeles Employers Hiring Special Education Teachers
Special education teachers are hired by LAUSD, the schools it partners with, and charter networks across the city:
- Los Angeles Unified School District - the district's continuous teacher application covers special education, including visual impairment and deaf education.
- Partnership for Los Angeles Schools - hires early childhood, mild to moderate and extensive support needs teachers, with clear credential holders starting at $71,835.
- Green Dot Public Schools California - hires middle and high school special education teachers at $71,085 to $127,985 credentialed, and accepts interns.
- Bright Star Schools - hiring an inclusion special education teacher at Rise Kohyang High School in Koreatown at $63,600 to $137,400.
- El Camino Real Charter High School - the Woodland Hills charter is hiring a resource specialist teacher at $73,150 to $116,355.
- KIPP SoCal Public Schools - the charter network is hiring resource and inclusion teachers, including at KIPP Endeavor College Prep in Boyle Heights.
Special Education Teacher Salaries in Los Angeles
- Entry level: about $60,000 to $64,000 a year for interns and teachers on an alternative credential.
- Experienced: roughly $71,000 to $101,000 a year for credentialed teachers, from starting pay up to the BLS metro median.
- Senior: $116,000 to $137,000 a year at the top of charter salary scales.
These are estimates drawn from current postings and BLS 2025 data, which puts the Los Angeles metro median at about $96,970 for elementary and $100,900 for secondary special education teachers. Pay moves with credential status, college units and years of service. LAUSD adds a master's differential of $584 a year and a bilingual differential of up to $3,060.
How to Become a Special Education Teacher in Los Angeles
You need an Education Specialist Instruction Credential from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, in one of five areas: Mild to Moderate Support Needs, Extensive Support Needs, Early Childhood Special Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, or Visual Impairments. The preliminary credential requires a bachelor's degree, subject matter competence (except early childhood), the U.S. Constitution requirement, a Commission-approved program, the teaching performance assessment and a literacy assessment, since RICA ended on June 30, 2025. It is valid five years and is cleared through an induction program. You can also teach while you train on an intern credential. Local routes include LAUSD's iCAAP District Intern program in mild to moderate and extensive support needs, the Department of Special Education and Counseling at Cal State LA, the Department of Special Education at CSUN in Northridge, LMU's School of Education, and the USC Rossier MAT.
What the Job Involves
Special education teachers plan and deliver instruction for students with disabilities, write and run Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and track progress toward each goal. Depending on the setting, you co-teach in general education classes, pull small groups for targeted support, or run a special day class. The job also means IEP meetings with families, coordinating with aides and therapists, and keeping careful compliance records.
Skills Employers Look For
- An Education Specialist credential, or eligibility for an intern credential
- IEP writing and case management
- Co-teaching and differentiated instruction
- Behavior support and de-escalation
- English learner authorization or bilingual Spanish
- Clear communication with families
Career Path and Advancement
Many Los Angeles special education teachers start as aides or interns and earn the credential while teaching, through iCAAP or a university intern program. From there the ladder runs to department lead, program specialist and special education coordinator, with roles such as KIPP SoCal's regional special education specialist.
Related Careers in Los Angeles
If special education interests you, these related Los Angeles roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
What credential do you need to teach special education in Los Angeles?
You need a California Education Specialist Instruction Credential from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Most open roles in Los Angeles ask for Mild to Moderate Support Needs or Extensive Support Needs.
How much do special education teachers make in Los Angeles?
Credentialed teachers start at about $71,000 to $73,000 at LAUSD-affiliated schools and several charters, and the BLS 2025 metro median is about $97,000 to $101,000. Top charter scales reach $116,000 to $137,000.
Can I teach special education in Los Angeles while earning my credential?
Yes. LAUSD's iCAAP program hires District Interns who teach full time while earning a preliminary Education Specialist credential, with tuition waived in exchange for two more years of service. Cal State LA and CSUN also run two-year intern programs, and Green Dot accepts intern-eligible teachers.
What is the difference between Mild to Moderate and Extensive Support Needs?
Mild to Moderate Support Needs covers students with specific learning disabilities, autism, emotional disturbance and intellectual disability. Extensive Support Needs covers students with more significant needs, including autism, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities and deafblindness.
Does LAUSD pay special education teachers more than other teachers?
Special education teachers are paid on LAUSD's separate SE table, which starts higher than the general teacher table. For 2026-27, the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools lists $71,835 for special education clear credential holders against $68,966 for general education.
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