Does Louisiana require autism training for school staff? What Louisiana law asks, and where outside training fits
The short answer
In the Louisiana education laws and rules we searched, we found no requirement that school staff complete autism training. Related public-school duties concern restraint and crisis intervention. Under La. R.S. 17:416.21, physical restraint requires trained personnel unless an emergency leaves insufficient time for trained personnel to respond. Bulletin 1706 requires the principal to designate employees who must complete a training program when local policy includes implementation procedures for seclusion and restraint. Bulletin 746 sets a September 1, 2031 coursework requirement for initial certification; a separate statute also addresses crisis intervention training for applicants completing approved Louisiana teacher education programs.
What we found
On October 29, 2026, we searched every section heading in Title 17 (Education) of the Louisiana Revised Statutes for autism, restraint, seclusion, behavior, paraprofessional, in-service, professional development, crisis and de-escalation. We reviewed §549 of Bulletin 1706 (the special education regulations) and searched Bulletin 746 (certification of school personnel, including its paraprofessional rules). We found no autism training requirement for school staff in these sources. Louisiana's paraprofessional qualification rules in Bulletin 746 set education and testing requirements and do not require autism or behavior training.
Related training rules for Louisiana school staff
Restraint by trained personnel. La. R.S. 17:416.21(C)(1) says physical restraint shall be used only:
"(d) By trained personnel, except in emergency situations in which there is not sufficient time to have trained personnel respond. Minimum training requirements shall be specified in rules promulgated by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education."
The same section, in Subsection M, requires each public school governing authority to adopt written guidelines and procedures that include "An explanation of the methods of physical restraint and the school employee training requirements relative to the use of restraint" and "An explanation of how school employees may utilize and be trained in a crisis intervention training program." The guidelines must also cover "Proper use of crisis intervention plans, including the use of positive behavioral interventions and support, sensory rooms, seclusion, and physical restraint, and how these strategies differ."
Subsection O says: "The department may develop a crisis intervention training program that may be used by each public school governing authority." If the Louisiana Department of Education develops one, "certain public school employees as designated by each principal or his designee are required to complete the program," and "The department shall provide the program at no cost to each public school governing authority." We did not find an official page confirming that the department has released such a program. The section's history shows amendments by Acts 2025, No. 479, effective December 1, 2025.
Who must be trained, under Bulletin 1706. Bulletin 1706, §549, sets minimum content for "Crisis intervention training programs used by LEAs," including evidence-based techniques for the prevention and safe use of seclusion and physical restraint, and skills training in "positive support, conflict prevention, de-escalation, and crisis response techniques." Under §549.B, the school principal designates the employees who must complete a training program when the local policy includes implementation procedures for seclusion and restraint. For other educators, §549 says: "Educators not trained to implement seclusion and restraint may receive professional learning in effective strategies for behavior management of students with disabilities and crisis intervention procedures." That sentence says "may"; it does not require the training. Our course does not teach restraint, seclusion, crisis intervention or de-escalation.
Teacher preparation and initial certification. Bulletin 746, §507, says: "Beginning September 1, 2031, an applicant for initial certification shall have earned coursework that includes instruction in crisis intervention and effective strategies for behavior management of students with disabilities, which may be incorporated into an existing course of study." This Bulletin 746 provision concerns initial certification, not renewal. Separately, R.S. 17:8.1(A) says the certification requirements for "any applicant who completes an approved teacher education program in Louisiana" shall include "(9) That an applicant complete a crisis intervention training program created or approved by the state Department of Education." The section's history shows Acts 2025, No. 479, effective December 1, 2025.
Helping staff spot behavioral or emotional challenges. Subject to the exception in R.S. 17:173, La. R.S. 17:416.23(A) required each city, parish, or other local public school board, not later than thirty days before the 2024-2025 school year, to adopt rules and implement a program to "Assist school personnel in identifying signs and symptoms of a student with behavioral or emotional challenges that may cause the student to be at risk of their behavior escalating into aggression or disruption, disciplinary actions including suspension or expulsion, or juvenile delinquency." The section does not set training hours.
Sources: La. R.S. 17:416.21; Bulletin 1706, LAC 28:XLIII (BESE); Bulletin 746, LAC 28:CXXXI (BESE, Word file); La. R.S. 17:416.23; La. R.S. 17:8.1.
Where outside training fits
Bulletin 1706, §549, sets minimum content for crisis intervention training programs used by local educational agencies. Separately, R.S. 17:416.21(O) requires designated public school employees to complete the department's program if the department develops one. None of the sources we read names a provider for autism training. For questions about training required for your role under these provisions, contact your school system or the Louisiana Department of Education, and ask how it evaluates outside courses. We do not claim that our course meets R.S. 17:416.21, Bulletin 1706, §549 or Bulletin 746, §507, or that it counts toward any Louisiana training or certification requirement. 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 Louisiana 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 school system'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.