Does Pennsylvania require autism training for school staff? What Pennsylvania law asks, and where outside training fits
The short answer
In the Pennsylvania statutes and rules we searched, we found no requirement that school staff complete autism training. Under 22 Pa. Code § 14.105, instructional paraprofessionals (school employees who, under a certificated staff member's direction, support instructional programs for children with disabilities or eligible young children) and personal care assistants must each provide evidence of 20 hours of staff development related to their assignment every school year. The rule's definition of the instructional paraprofessional role includes implementing positive behavior support plans. The rules do not name autism or behavior as a required topic for those 20 hours.
What we found
On October 29, 2026, we searched the official Pennsylvania Code, Title 22, Chapter 14 (special education), and the Public School Code of 1949 for autism, positive behavior, behavior support, de-escalation and paraprofessional training, and read 22 Pa. Code § 49.17 on continuing professional education plans. We found no requirement that teachers, paraprofessionals or other school staff complete training on autism. We found the related rules below. Chapter 14 defines "school entity" as a local public education provider such as a school district, area vocational-technical school or intermediate unit, "but excluding charter schools and cyber charter schools under Article XVII-A of the School Code"; special education in charter and cyber charter schools is covered by 22 Pa. Code Chapter 711, which we did not search.
Related training rules for Pennsylvania school staff
Instructional paraprofessionals and personal care assistants: 20 hours every school year. 22 Pa. Code § 14.105(a)(3):
"Instructional paraprofessionals, each school year, shall provide evidence of 20 hours of staff development activities related to their assignment."
The same section defines an instructional paraprofessional as a school employee who works under the direction of a certificated staff member to support children with disabilities or eligible young children, and says the support "includes one-on-one or group review of material taught by certificated staff, classroom management and implementation of positive behavior support plans." Personal care assistants have the same yearly duty under § 14.105(a)(4):
"Personal care assistants shall provide evidence of 20 hours of staff development activities related to their assignment each school year. The 20 hours of training may include training required by the school-based access program."
The district's special education plan must describe its behavior training. 22 Pa. Code § 14.104(b)(6) requires each district's special education plan to describe:
"School district procedures on behavior support services, including a description of the training provided to staff in the use of positive behavior supports, de-escalation techniques and appropriate responses to student behavior that may require immediate intervention."
This rule asks the district to describe the training it provides. It does not set hours, a schedule or a list of staff who must attend.
Positive behavior support and restraint. Under 22 Pa. Code § 14.133(f), school entities have "the primary responsibility for ensuring that positive behavior support programs are in accordance with this chapter, including the training of personnel for the use of specific procedures, methods and techniques." Restraint may be included in a student's IEP only when, among other conditions, "Staff are authorized to use the procedure and have received the staff training required" (§ 14.133(c)(2)(iii)). Our course does not teach restraint, de-escalation or crisis intervention.
Certified educators: Act 48 hours every five years. Subject to its exceptions, Section 1205.2 of the Public School Code requires professional educators to complete continuing professional education every five years to maintain active certification: six collegiate credits, six continuing professional education credits, 180 hours, or an equivalent combination. Section 1205.2 does not name autism or behavior as a required topic for these hours. It also says the Department of Education "shall annually provide a minimum of forty (40) hours of continuing professional education courses, programs, activities or learning experiences at no charge to professional educators."
Sources: 22 Pa. Code § 14.105, 22 Pa. Code § 14.104, 22 Pa. Code § 14.133, Public School Code of 1949, § 1205.2.
Where outside training fits
The paraprofessional rule asks for 20 hours "related to their assignment." It does not name a provider or say how outside courses are accepted. For certified educators, Act 48 hours from outside programs count when they are related to the educator's assignment or certification and "conducted by providers approved by the department," or when they fit the routes the law sets through the school entity's professional education plan or board approval. We do not claim that our course counts toward a paraprofessional's 20 hours, a district's behavior support training, or Act 48 hours, and we do not claim Pennsylvania Department of Education provider approval. Before buying outside training for any of these purposes, ask your district, intermediate unit or the Pennsylvania Department of Education how it evaluates outside courses.
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 Pennsylvania 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.