If you’ve ever wondered whether your child needs a reading specialist or a special education teacher, you’re not alone. The roles sound similar, but they answer to different laws, serve different populations, and use different tools. In this guide, I’ll walk you through a reading specialist vs a special education teacher comparison so you know who does what, when to ask for each one, and how they can work together on the same student.
By the end, you’ll be able to tell at a glance which professional fits your situation and what questions to bring to the next school meeting.
Table of Contents
What Is a Reading Specialist? Definition and Core Role
A reading specialist is a licensed educator with advanced training in literacy instruction. Most hold a master’s degree in reading, literacy, or a related field and earn an additional state certification beyond a standard teaching license.
Their core job is to figure out why a student struggles with reading and to deliver targeted instruction that fixes it. They focus on the building blocks of literacy: phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Where reading specialists work
Reading specialists typically work in general education settings. You’ll find them in elementary schools running small group pull-out sessions, in middle schools supporting students who read below grade level, and in high schools helping older readers catch up on foundational skills.
Typical responsibilities
Reading specialists spend their day assessing students, planning interventions, teaching small groups, and coaching classroom teachers. They also analyze screening data from universal reading assessments and recommend students for Tier 2 or Tier 3 support inside the RTI or MTSS framework.
They do not, by default, have the legal authority to write or deliver the specially designed instruction required by an Individualized Education Program, or IEP. I’ll cover that in detail below because it’s one of the most common points of confusion.
What Is a Special Education Teacher? Definition and Core Role
A special education teacher is a licensed educator who has completed a state-approved special education preparation program. They earn a special education credential in addition to, or in place of, a general education teaching license.
Their job is to deliver specially designed instruction to students who qualify under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. That instruction is built around the goals written into each student’s IEP.
Where special education teachers work
Special education teachers work in resource rooms, self-contained classrooms, inclusion classrooms, and separate schools. They serve students from preschool through age 21 in public school systems, and they follow each student’s IEP no matter where instruction happens.
Typical responsibilities
A special education teacher administers formal and informal assessments, writes IEPs and present levels of performance, runs IEP meetings, designs accommodations and modifications, and tracks measurable annual goals. They also coordinate with general education teachers, related service providers, and families.
They are considered “qualified personnel” under IDEA, which gives them authority that other instructional staff, including reading specialists, do not automatically hold.
Reading Specialist vs Special Education Teacher: Key Differences
The short version: reading specialists are literacy experts who work mostly in general education and rely on RTI/MTSS structures. Special education teachers are legally designated to provide special education services under IDEA and own the IEP process.
Here’s how those differences play out across the categories that matter most.
Population served
Reading specialists serve any student who struggles with reading, including those without a diagnosed disability. Special education teachers only serve students who have been formally identified as having a disability under IDEA and who qualify for special education services.
Legal authority
Special education teachers can write and deliver the specially designed instruction named in an IEP. Reading specialists can support literacy goals in an IEP, but according to Wrightslaw’s analysis of IDEA regulations, IEP teams cannot list services from a reading specialist as “special education services” unless that specialist also holds special education certification.
Framework and accountability
Reading specialists operate inside Response to Intervention or Multi-Tiered System of Supports. They track progress using curriculum-based measurements and intervention data. Special education teachers operate inside IDEA’s procedural safeguards. They are accountable to federal law, due process timelines, and measurable annual goals.
Qualifications and Certification Requirements
Both roles start with a bachelor’s degree and an initial teaching license, then add a specialization on top. The specializations look different, though, and they open different doors.
Reading specialist path
Most reading specialists start as classroom teachers, then complete a master’s degree in literacy or reading. After the degree, they apply for a reading specialist endorsement or license through their state’s department of education. Coursework typically covers phonics, assessment, intervention models, and coaching methods.
Special education teacher path
Special education teachers complete a state-approved special education preparation program at the bachelor’s or master’s level. They pass required Praxis exams, complete a student teaching placement in a special education setting, and apply for their initial special education credential. Many states offer categorical credentials in areas like learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, or autism.
Overlap and additional credentials
Some educators hold both credentials. A reading specialist who also passes the special education exam can legally serve in either role. Conversely, special education teachers who pursue a literacy master’s often move into reading specialist positions later in their careers.
How RTI and MTSS Tie Into Both Roles
RTI, or Response to Intervention, and MTSS, or Multi-Tiered System of Supports, are school-wide frameworks for organizing support. They are where reading specialists spend most of their day, and they often serve as the gateway to special education.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 in the literacy framework
In Tier 1, the classroom teacher delivers grade-level reading instruction to everyone. In Tier 2, a reading specialist typically pulls small groups of students for targeted intervention, often 30 minutes a day, three to five times per week. In Tier 3, instruction intensifies further, sometimes to one-on-one sessions, with more frequent progress monitoring.
Hand-off from intervention to IEP
If a student fails to respond to high-quality Tier 3 intervention, the team may refer the student for a special education evaluation. That hand-off moves the student from the reading specialist’s caseload into the special education teacher’s caseload. IDEA allows, and many states encourage, the use of RTI data as part of the evaluation.
Salary Comparison and Career Outlook
Pay scales vary by state and district, but national data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and aggregators like Zippia show a consistent pattern: reading specialists with a master’s degree often earn slightly more than special education teachers, especially in districts that pay a stipend for the additional credential.
Average pay ranges
Reading specialists earn a median annual salary in the high $60,000s to mid $70,000s depending on region and experience. Special education teachers earn a median salary in the low to mid $60,000s. Both figures climb with years of service and advanced degrees.
Demand and job growth
Both fields are projected to grow about 4 to 6 percent through 2026, roughly in line with the average for all occupations. Shortages exist in both roles in many states, which often translates to signing bonuses, loan forgiveness, and easier job placement for new graduates.
Where Each Professional Works and Who They Serve?
Reading specialists and special education teachers both work in K-12 public schools, but the students on their caseloads look very different.
Reading specialists serve general education students who read below benchmark, including students with dyslexia who have not been formally identified. Special education teachers serve students with IEPs across categories such as specific learning disability, other health impairment, autism, speech or language impairment, and intellectual disability.
When to Request a Reading Specialist vs a Special Education Teacher
This is where parents and educators most often get stuck. The right professional depends on what’s actually going on with the student. Here are three common scenarios I’ve seen play out in schools.
Scenario A: struggling reader, no suspected disability
If your child reads below grade level but there is no concern about a disability, start by asking the classroom teacher about Tier 2 intervention from a reading specialist. This is the fastest path to targeted help, and it does not require a formal evaluation.
Scenario B: suspected learning disability
If your child has not responded to high-quality intervention, or you see signs of a learning disability such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia, request a special education evaluation. That evaluation is what unlocks access to a special education teacher and an IEP.
Scenario C: dyslexia and structured literacy needs
If your child has been identified with dyslexia, the best support often comes from a reading specialist trained in structured literacy, working alongside a special education teacher who can deliver specially designed instruction and track IEP goals. Both roles are valuable here, and they should be coordinating, not competing.
How Reading Specialists and Special Education Teachers Collaborate
In a well-run school, these two roles don’t compete for the same student. They share students, share data, and align instruction. A reading specialist might screen every second grader in September, flag the bottom 20 percent, deliver Tier 2 intervention, and then refer non-responders for evaluation.
The special education teacher picks up that evaluation, designs the IEP, and may invite the reading specialist to consult on literacy goals. Both professionals continue tracking progress, and the reading specialist’s intervention data often becomes part of the IEP’s present levels statement. When this collaboration works, students get faster, more consistent support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a reading specialist a special education teacher?
No. A reading specialist is a literacy expert with a reading endorsement or master’s degree in reading, while a special education teacher holds a special education credential and provides specially designed instruction under IDEA. Some educators hold both credentials, but the roles are separate.
What is the difference between a reading teacher and a reading specialist?
A reading teacher delivers reading instruction as part of a regular classroom assignment or elective. A reading specialist has advanced training, often a master’s degree plus a state endorsement, and is responsible for assessment, intervention design, and coaching other teachers.
Do reading specialists get paid more than special education teachers?
On average, yes. National salary data shows reading specialists earn a slightly higher median salary, mostly because the role typically requires a master’s degree and an additional credential, both of which are built into district pay scales.
Is an education specialist the same as a special education teacher?
Not exactly. Education specialist is a broad term that can refer to a special education teacher in some states, but in other contexts it refers to instructional coaches or curriculum specialists. When parents see the term, they should ask for clarification on credentials and legal authority.
Can a reading specialist provide services listed in an IEP?
Only if the reading specialist also holds a special education credential. Under IDEA, IEP teams must specify who will deliver each service. Reading specialists without special education certification cannot be named as the special education provider for a service, though they can support literacy goals as a related service or consultant.
Who should I ask for first if my child struggles with reading?
Start with the classroom teacher and ask about a reading specialist for Tier 2 intervention. If your child does not respond after a full intervention cycle, or if you suspect a disability, request a formal special education evaluation in writing.
The Bottom Line
Reading specialists and special education teachers do different jobs, but they often serve the same students at different points on the same path. The reading specialist vs special education teacher distinction comes down to this: one focuses on literacy inside general education through RTI and MTSS, the other delivers specially designed instruction under IDEA through the IEP process.
If your child is struggling, start by asking the classroom teacher about reading specialist support. If that does not work, or you suspect a disability, put your request for a special education evaluation in writing. Either way, you now know who does what and which question to ask first.