The purpose of this study was to ascertain the level of competency of pre-service special education teachers (PSTs) based on their shown competence during their actual school immersion. Additionally, it examined their performance in a special education classroom setting and its relationship to CK and PCK. The study enrolled 49 preservice special education instructors from four different universities in Cebu City, Philippines. The level of competence of the PSTs was determined statistically utilizing a performance appraisal. The findings indicated that pre-service special education instructors did not satisfy the required level of competency in both CK and PCK. Meanwhile, they demonstrated superior performance in all four categories of teaching competency. Their level of expertise did not connect statistically with their level of performance. To summarize, the cost of special education per service