If you are a special education or school-based healthcare professional who enjoys traveling, considering a school-based travel position may align with your lifestyle and goals.
Travel special education jobs offer an exciting opportunity to pursue your passion for adventure and exploring new places, while simultaneously allowing you to continue working in a profession you love.
What Are Travel Special Education Jobs?
A travel job is any temporary position that takes you at least 50 miles away from home. In addition to meeting this minimum travel radius, you will also need to prove dual housing expenses to qualify for a travel position.
The logistics of a special education travel job vary depending on the region, school district, and the specific needs of the students. But, just like a long-term contract position, you are there to support the students. Travel education professionals will fill that position for a set length of time, often moving to a new location after their contract is over to start another travel job.
A typical travel contract length can range anywhere from short-term 13-week coverage to 36-week contracts.
How Does Pay Work for Travel Special Education Jobs?
Travel positions come with unique compensation packages. In addition to earning competitive hourly wages, you may also get weekly housing and meal stipends to cover the expenses for your temporary home away from home. Each pay package created by a Sunbelt travel partner is customized to suit your needs.
What Does a Travel Education Professional Do?
Whether you are a special education teacher, school psychologist, speech therapist, or behavioral support, you will likely perform regular job duties. This can mean providing therapeutic support, conducting assessments, or teaching lesson plans. The only differences between travel positions and long-term contracts are the location and duration. After figuring that out, you can just do what you do best—support students’ healthy growth and development.
Travel special education professionals should be equipped to handle a diverse set of needs, as every student has unique challenges. Ultimately, being a travel special education professional is more than just a job. It’s a chance to grow your skill set, make connections, and positively impact students’ lives across the US.
Which Special Education Professionals Can Take Travel Jobs?
Many school-based disciplines can travel. Here are the most common disciplines we partner with:
- Travel special education teachers
- Travel speech therapists
- Travel school psychologists
- Travel school nurses
- Travel occupational therapists
- Travel speech-language pathology assistants
- Travel paraprofessionals and instructional assistants
Licensing Requirements for Travel Special Education Jobs
If your discipline has state-specific licenses and requirements, you will need to make sure you are licensed in any state you desire to travel to. As part of your pay package, Sunbelt can provide licensure reimbursement to get you where you want to go.
Depending on your discipline, you may be able to obtain a compact license that allows you to practice in multiple states. If a compact license doesn’t currently cover where you want to travel, looking into license reciprocity can be a faster method of obtaining credentials in a new state. Please refer to the state’s Department of Education website for all up-to-date credential requirements.
How to Find Travel Housing for Travel Education Assignments
We know that searching for a place to stay short-term can be stressful. Luckily, there are many sites that specialize in housing arrangements for travel professionals. Furnished Finder, Travel Nurse Housing, Transplant Housing, and Landing are all reliable sites for travel professionals. Airbnb and Vrbo are two more well-known sites that offer long-term accommodations. Being pre-approved with one of these sites is an easy way to find housing quickly for a travel position.
The Impact of Working as a Travel Special Education Professional
While these positions often require you to hit the ground running, they are critical in making sure every student receives the care they deserve. Many students in rural or otherwise underserved areas go without necessary services due to a lack of local talent. That’s where you come in. Hiring travel staff allows districts to bring in talented professionals, like yourself, from across the country to care for their students.
The impact of a travel position goes far beyond what you do in the classroom. Accepting a travel contract gives you valuable experience with a diverse set of populations and the opportunity to meet other people in your profession. It’s also a great way to establish yourself in a new community or explore somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit.
How to Become a Travel Special Education Professional
Before becoming a travel education professional, you should first consider:
- Are you looking to explore a new area in your home state, or are you open to going to a new region altogether?
- Do you plan to travel home on weekends, or are you staying there for the full duration of your contract?
- Licensing requirements in other states.
- Does a travel position suit your current lifestyle?
- Do you have a plan for housing?
If you have answered the questions above and think a travel position would be a good fit for your lifestyle and skill set, browse our current school jobs to get in touch with one of our travel experts and find your next destination.