Does Alabama require autism training for school staff? What Alabama law asks, and where outside training fits
The short answer
We found no Alabama law or State Board of Education rule that requires school staff to complete autism training. The State Board's seclusion and restraint rule requires Alabama public schools and educational programs that use physical restraint under the rule to ensure staff and faculty are trained in its use. That training must be part of a program that addresses prevention and de-escalation techniques as well as positive behavioral intervention strategies.
What we found
On October 29, 2026, we searched the official Code of Alabama and the Alabama State Board of Education's rules in the Alabama Administrative Code. We searched for "autism", "autism spectrum", "positive behavior", "behavior intervention", "challenging behavior", "de-escalation", "paraprofessional", "restraint" and "seclusion". We also read selected special education rules in chapter 290-8-9 and selected educator certificate rules in chapter 290-3-2.
We found no Alabama law or rule that requires teachers, paraprofessionals or other school staff to complete autism training. The special education rules we reviewed define autism as a disability category for evaluation and eligibility; we found no autism-specific staff training requirement in those rules. Our Code of Alabama searches found autism in sections on health coverage, regional autism centers, licensing and other topics; we found no provision requiring school staff to complete autism training. We also found no State Board rule that sets training hours for paraprofessionals.
Related training rules for Alabama school staff
Training for schools that use physical restraint. Alabama prohibits seclusion in its public schools and educational programs, and it allows physical restraint only when a student is an immediate danger to himself or others and is not responsive to less intensive behavioral interventions. Schools and programs that use physical restraint under the rule must have written policies that include "Staff and faculty training on the use of physical restraint and the school or programs policy and procedures." The rule also says:
"Schools and programs that use physical restraints in accordance with paragraph (2.)(v-xiv) of this rule, must ensure that staff and faculty are trained in the use of physical restraint. This training shall be provided as a part of a program which addresses prevention and de-escalation techniques as well as positive behavioral intervention strategies. Schools and programs must maintain written or electronic documentation on training provided and the list of participants in each training. Records of such training must be made available to the Alabama Department of Education or any member of the public upon request."
This duty applies to schools and programs that use physical restraint. The rule does not set a number of hours. Our course does not teach restraint, de-escalation or crisis intervention.
Source: Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-1-.02(1)(f), effective February 14, 2025.
Certificate renewal for special education teachers. To continue a Professional Educator Certificate, Alabama sets professional learning by category. Category 2 covers early childhood, elementary and special education certificates:
"Category 2: Professional Educator Certificate in an area of Early Childhood Education (grades P-3), Elementary Education (grades K-6, K-9, 1-9), or any Collaborative/Special Education/Multiple Abilities Certificate (grades P-3, K-6, 6-12, or P-12). Professional Learning is required in both general and content specific categories."
For Category 2, the general requirement is "10 clock hours of professional learning in Educator Ethics," and the content-specific requirement is "20 clock hours of professional learning in the Science of Reading" and "20 clock hours of professional learning in Numeracy." For Professional Educator Certificates in areas not covered by Categories 1, 2, 3 or 4 (Category 5), the content-specific requirement is:
"40 clock hours of professional learning in the area of the certificate held, offered by Alabama-approved providers or offered by the ALSDE."
Subsection (6) of the same rule also allows college or university credit toward renewal, under its conditions on content, institution, course level and grade. It says "The Content Specific Professional Learning may also be met with three (3) semester hours of allowable credit," and for Category 2 certificates, only approved allowable credit from an Alabama college or university is accepted.
The renewal rule does not name autism or behavior as a required topic. Under the general continuation provision, certificates are valid from issuance through the remainder of that scholastic year and the next five consecutive scholastic years; Category 6 provides a lifetime renewal option for qualifying retired educators.
Source: Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-2-.41, effective August 14, 2026.
What Alabama counts as professional learning. The State Board's definition of professional learning lists the kinds of activities it includes. One of them:
"Are designed to give teachers of children with disabilities or children with developmental delays, and other teachers and instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide instruction and academic support services, to those children, including positive behavioral interventions and supports, multi-tier system of supports, and use of accommodations;"
This is a definition. It does not require any educator to complete training on these topics.
Source: Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-4-3-.01(1).
A resource on the state's autism page. The Alabama State Department of Education's Special Education Services page on disability areas links to the Autism Internet Modules, an outside site. The page describes it this way: "AIM is designed to provide high-quality information and professional development for anyone who supports, instructs, works with, or lives with someone with autism." No price is shown on the state's page.
Source: Alabama State Department of Education, Special Education Services, Disability Areas.
Where outside training fits
We found no requirement for school staff to complete autism training in the Alabama statutes and State Board rules we searched. The restraint rule tells schools that use physical restraint to train their staff within a program on prevention, de-escalation and positive behavioral intervention strategies; it does not name a provider. The Category 2 and Category 5 renewal requirements described above call for ALSDE-approved professional learning; Category 5's content-specific hours must be "offered by Alabama-approved providers or offered by the ALSDE." We do not claim that our course is ALSDE-approved, meets the restraint training rule, or counts toward certificate renewal or any professional learning hours. Before buying outside training for a state requirement, ask your district, or the ALSDE Educator Certification Section for renewal, how it evaluates outside courses. We offer this course as introductory ABA training.
What our Intro to ABA Level 1 course covers
The Intro to ABA Level 1 course teaches methods and techniques of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for parents and caregivers, teachers, paraprofessionals and behavior technicians who work with a child every day. Topics include what autism is, what ABA is, pairing, errorless teaching and prompting, and active student responding. Complete the course and pass its 40-question final exam with a score of at least 80%. Completing this course earns a Special Learning certificate of completion. That certificate is not a continuing education (CE) certificate. It is basic training in ABA methods for daily practice, not a professional credential. We do not claim Alabama state approval or continuing education credit for this course.
A paraprofessional who took it wrote: "I want to learn everything I can to help my student succeed in the public school system. I found Special Learning's ABA level 1 course so fascinating and inspiring."
Two ways to start
- For one person: try the first two sessions free for 7 days; account creation is required, with no payment information requested. The full course costs $199, paid once, with no subscription or recurring charge. Activate your license code within 90 days of purchase; the published completion window is 10 weeks after activation. You may request a later start date, no later than three months after purchase. Start the free sessions
- For your district's staff: tell us how many people need training and when, and we will send a quote; each participant who completes the course and passes its 40-question final exam with a score of at least 80% earns an individual certificate of completion. Ask for a school quote
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026.