Does Kansas require autism training for school staff? What Kansas law asks, and where outside training fits
The short answer
We found no autism-specific training requirement for school staff in the Kansas laws, rules and state education department sources we reviewed. Kansas does require related training: the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) lists emergency safety intervention training as annual training for all staff and cites K.A.R. 91-42-3, which requires district training to address prevention techniques, de-escalation techniques and positive behavioral intervention strategies. For state special education funding, regular-year special education instructional paraeducators generally need 10 or 20 hours of inservice a year, with some exceptions.
What we found
On October 29, 2026, we searched the section headings of the Kansas Statutes Chapter 72 (Education) for autism, restraint, seclusion, behavior, paraprofessional, in-service and professional development. We also read KSDE's list of required staff trainings, K.A.R. 91-42-3, KSDE's emergency safety intervention page, its paraprofessional page and its special education reimbursement guide for 2026-27. We found no autism-specific training requirement for teachers or paraprofessionals in the sources we searched. KSDE's list of required staff and student trainings for 2026-2027 does not include autism, positive behavior supports or behavior intervention.
Related training rules for Kansas school staff
Emergency safety intervention training. KSDE's list of required staff and student trainings (dated September 2026) lists Emergency Safety Intervention (ESI) training with the frequency "Annual", for "All Staff", and cites KAR 91-42-3. KSDE explains: "An emergency safety intervention (ESI) is the use of seclusion or physical restraint." It adds: "The standards found in KAR 91-42 are required to be followed in all Kansas public school districts and accredited private schools."
K.A.R. 91-42-3 requires each district's written emergency safety intervention policies to include staff training. Under the regulation, school personnel training must be designed to meet the needs of personnel as appropriate to their duties and potential need for the use of emergency safety interventions. The training must address prevention techniques, de-escalation techniques and positive behavioral intervention strategies. Any district training on the use of emergency safety interventions must be consistent with nationally recognized training programs, and schools and programs must keep written or electronic records of the training provided and who attended. Our course does not teach restraint, seclusion, crisis intervention or de-escalation.
Inservice hours for special education paraeducators. KSDE's paraprofessional page lists these requirements "for state funding (special education categorical aid)":
"Be a high school graduate (or GED equivalent), and; Complete an orientation session addressing confidentiality, the services to be provided, and the policies and procedures of the local education agency concerning special education. Complete between 10-20 hours of inservice yearly, depending on length of service (may be replaced by relevant licensure)"
KSDE's reimbursement guide for the 2026-27 school year sets the tiers: "Twenty Staff Development Hours Required: Paraeducators who have worked as a Kansas special education paraeducator less than 3 years (within the past 3 years)" and "Ten Staff Development Hours Required: Paraeducators who have worked as a Kansas special education paraeducator for more than 3 years (including each of the past 3 years)." The guide adds: "A school year may be counted if employment was 9 months (or the full school year) AND the appropriate amount of inservice was obtained." It gives a separate table for paraeducators hired after the start of the school year: "Staff development requirements are based on the days of employment regardless of number of hours a day worked." For paraeducators with a qualifying current Kansas license or certificate who work in an area directly related to it, the local education agency determines the inservice requirements; substitute and emergency substitute teaching licenses do not qualify for this tier. The guide also says: "Paras working only in ESY must be qualified, but are not required to have inservice." College hours in subjects related to the special education service provided may be substituted for special education inservice hours. The staff development must include "Staff development activities specifically related to the area and type of program in which the special education instructional paraeducator is employed." These hours are not specific to autism.
Preschool-aged at-risk programs. KSDE's paraprofessional page says: "Districts must develop a professional learning plan that includes a minimum of 15 hours of in-service training in early learning or related topics, including child abuse and neglect training, for all direct service staff, including teachers, paraprofessionals, and aides."
Sources: KSDE, Required Staff and Student Trainings 2026-2027; K.A.R. 91-42-3, Kansas Administrative Regulations, 2022 volume, Book 4; KSDE, Emergency Safety Interventions; KSDE, Paraprofessional; KSDE, Special Education Reimbursement Guide, 2026-27.
Where outside training fits
For special education paraeducators, KSDE's reimbursement guide says: "The local special education director or designee is responsible for approving inservice or college hours as appropriate for paraeducators based on their position and responsibilities." Before buying outside training for paraeducator inservice, ask your local special education director whether a course will be approved. We do not claim that our course counts toward any Kansas inservice hours, meets K.A.R. 91-42-3, or replaces any training Kansas requires. We do not claim a number of training hours for it.
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 Kansas 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.