Adapted Physical Education Specialists

Education and TrainingO*NET 25-2059.01United States

Provide individualized physical education instruction or services to children, youth, or adults with exceptional physical needs due to gross motor developmental delays or other impairments.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $76,231
Projected change: +4.6%
Typical education: Bachelor's degree
Employment: 39.92K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What adapted physical education specialists do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Adapt instructional techniques to the age and skill levels of students.
Provide individual or small groups of students with adapted physical education instruction that meets desired physical needs or goals.
Instruct students, using adapted physical education techniques, to improve physical fitness, gross motor skills, perceptual motor skills, or sports and game achievement.
Provide students positive feedback to encourage them and help them develop an appreciation for physical education.
Establish and maintain standards of behavior to create safe, orderly, and effective environments for learning.
Provide adapted physical education services to students with intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, or other disabling condition.
Assess students' physical progress or needs.
Assist in screening or placement of students in adapted physical education programs.
Evaluate the motor needs of individual students to determine their need for adapted physical education services.
Collaborate with other educational personnel to provide inclusive activities or programs for children with disabilities.
Maintain thorough student records to document attendance, participation, or progress, ensuring confidentiality of all records.
Advise education professionals of students' physical abilities or disabilities and the accommodations required to enhance their school performance.
Write or modify individualized education plans (IEPs) for students with intellectual or physical disabilities.
Communicate behavioral observations and student progress reports to students, parents, teachers, or administrators.
Write reports to summarize student performance, social growth, or physical development.
Prepare lesson plans in accordance with individualized education plans (IEPs) and the functional abilities or needs of students.
Attend in-service training, workshops, or meetings to keep abreast of current practices or trends in adapted physical education.
Review adapted physical education programs or practices to ensure compliance with government or other regulations.
Request or order physical education equipment, following standard procedures.
Maintain inventory of instructional equipment, materials, or aids.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $48,007
25th percentile: $60,442
50th percentile: $76,231
75th percentile: $99,638
90th percentile: $120,847

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $76,231 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+4.6%average or slower

202539,918 jobs

2035 projected41,768 jobs

1,850 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Bachelor's degree: 71.4%
Master's or Professional degree: 28.6%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Adapted Physical Education
Physical Education
Special Education
Individualized Education Programs (IEP)
Disabilities
Student-Centred Learning
Adaptive Equipment
Office Equipment
Behavior Intervention
Educational Technologies
Classroom Management
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Behavioral Health
Applied Behavior Analysis
Conflict Resolution
Data-Driven Decision Making
Emotional Distress
Assisting Teachers
Behavioral Disorders
Caregiving

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Adapted Physical Education Teachers244 postings
02Adaptive Physical Education Teachers75 postings
03Adapted Physical Education Specialists24 postings
04Teachers8 postings
055th Grade Teachers7 postings
06Physical Education Aides7 postings
07Long Term Substitute Special Education Teachers6 postings
08RSP Teachers6 postings
09Elementary School Nurses5 postings
10Registered Physical Therapists5 postings
11Anatomy Instructors4 postings
12Geology Instructors4 postings
13Electronics Instructors3 postings
14Exceptional Children Teachers3 postings
15Oceanographers3 postings
16Physical Therapy Managers3 postings
17Special Education Educators3 postings
18Certified Specialists2 postings
19Clinical Instructors2 postings
20Dyslexia Therapists2 postings

Top employers

01Spectrum Center Schools And Programs77 postings
02Edjoin.Org50 postings
03Stepping Stones25 postings
04Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District15 postings
05Pascagoula-gautier School District13 postings
06360 Degree Therapy11 postings
07Amergis9 postings
08Aya Healthcare8 postings
09Fairfax County Public Schools6 postings
10Kipp Public Schools Northern California6 postings
11Hampton City Schools5 postings
12Soliant Health5 postings
13Alabama Department Of Education4 postings
14Crescent City Schools4 postings
15Cross Country Education4 postings
16Dublin City Schools4 postings
17Foothill-De Anza Community College District4 postings
18HealthPRO Heritage4 postings
19Mississippi Band Of Choctaw Indians4 postings
20Newark Board Of Education4 postings

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