Does Tennessee require autism training for school staff? What Tennessee law asks, and where outside training fits
The short answer
In the Tennessee State Board of Education rules and Department of Education guidance we read, we found no requirement for school staff to complete autism training. For isolation and restraint of students receiving special education services, the State Board's rule requires each district (LEA) to develop policies and procedures governing training requirements, and authorizes the district to set a level of training that fits each person's job description and responsibilities. The Department's Restraint and Isolation FAQ (July 2021) describes what that training should include, and, citing state law, says untrained or uncertified staff may impose restraint or isolation only when trained and certified staff are not immediately available.
What we found
On October 30, 2026, we read the State Board of Education's rule chapter 0520-01-09, Special Education Programs and Services (December 2025 revision), on the Tennessee Secretary of State's publications site, and the Department of Education's Restraint and Isolation FAQ on tn.gov. The rule chapter uses autism as a special education disability category; we found no autism-training requirement in it. A search of the Department of Education's site for autism training for teachers returned 194 results; the titles of the first ten did not point to an autism-training requirement (we did not open them).
We could not read the text of Tennessee's Special Education Behavioral Supports Act itself (Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 49-10-1301 to 49-10-1307) on the official code site. Its official table of contents includes a section on training and reporting on the use of restraint and isolation (§ 49-10-1307). What this page says about the statute comes from the Department's FAQ and from the text of House Bill 448 as introduced. We did not read Tennessee's educator license renewal rules or any rule on paraprofessional training hours.
Related training rules for Tennessee school staff
District policies on isolation and restraint training (State Board Rule 0520-01-09-.23). The rule covers isolation and restraint of students receiving special education services. It leaves the training program and its level to each district:
"(2) LEAs are authorized to develop and implement training programs that include: (a) Use of positive behavioral interventions and supports; (b) Nonviolent crisis prevention and de-escalation; (c) Safe administration of isolation and restraint; and (d) Documentation and reporting requirements."
"(3) LEAs are authorized to determine an appropriate level of training commensurate with the job descriptions and responsibilities of school personnel."
"(4) LEAs shall develop policies and procedures governing: (a) Personnel authorized to use isolation and restraint; (b) Training requirements; and (c) Incident reporting procedures."
The report form for each incident of isolation or restraint must state "Whether the school personnel who administered the isolation or restraint were certified for completing a behavior intervention training program." Our course does not teach restraint, isolation, crisis intervention or de-escalation.
What the Department of Education's FAQ (July 2021) says about that training. The FAQ is guidance; it says it "is intended to guide practices but is not prescriptive." On training, it says "LEAs have discretion to determine appropriate personnel training requirements." It says the training, "to the extent possible within the LEA's funds, should include" training in evidence-based techniques shown to be effective in preventing isolation and physical restraint; training in evidence-based techniques shown to be effective in keeping both school personnel and students safe when imposing physical restraint or isolation; "Evidence-based skills training on positive behavioral interventions and supports, conflict prevention, functional behavior assessments, de-escalation, and conflict management"; information on state statutes, policies, rules and procedures on restraint and isolation; training in identifying and reporting abuse and neglect in the school setting; and certification for school personnel who complete a behavior intervention training program, "which should be renewed on an annual basis." On who takes it:
"Staff that commonly require this training include teachers, administrators, school counselors, school psychologists, paraprofessionals, bus assistants, and classroom assistants."
The FAQ, citing Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-10-1304(c), also says:
"restraint or isolation may only be imposed by untrained/uncertified personnel if trained personnel who have been trained and certified for completing a behavior intervention training program are not immediately available."
It defines a behavior intervention training program as "a training program in evidence-based positive behavioral supports, evidence-based crisis intervention, and evidence-based techniques for the safe use of restraint and isolation."
Behavior intervention plans (State Board Rule 0520-01-09-.24). Each behavior intervention plan (BIP) must include, at a minimum, "A plan to train school personnel who interact regularly with the student on the intervention strategies identified in the student's BIP." To the extent possible, the functional behavior assessment behind the plan "shall be led by a school psychologist, Licensed Behavior Analyst, or other school personnel trained to conduct FBAs." The rule does not set hours or name providers for this training.
Professional development for paraprofessionals (State Board Rule 0520-01-09-.09). To be eligible for federal IDEA Part B funds, each district must show the Department of Education that it "Ensures that special education professionals and paraprofessionals are provided professional development collaboratively with general education personnel." The rule does not name topics or hours.
A bill that has not become law (HB0448/SB1163). In the 114th General Assembly (2025-2026), House Bill 448, as introduced, would add a new subsection to § 49-10-1304; Senate Bill 1163 is listed with it on the General Assembly's bill page:
"(k) Each LEA and public charter school shall incorporate at least two (2) hours each school year of evidence-based skills training on positive behavioral interventions and supports, conflict prevention, functional behavior assessments, de-escalation, and conflict management into its behavior intervention training program."
The General Assembly's bill page shows the last House action on March 31, 2026, "Taken off notice for cal. in Education Committee," and the last Senate action on March 18, 2026, "Deferred to Summer Study." When we checked on October 30, 2026, the bill had not passed; it is not law.
Source: State Board of Education Rule 0520-01-09, Special Education Programs and Services (December 2025 revision); Tennessee Department of Education, Restraint and Isolation FAQ; HB0448/SB1163 bill information; HB0448 bill text.
Where outside training fits
The State Board rule leaves the isolation and restraint training program and its requirements to each district, and the Department's FAQ describes a behavior intervention training program as training in positive behavioral supports, crisis intervention and the safe use of restraint and isolation. Our course does not teach restraint, isolation, crisis intervention or de-escalation, and it is not a behavior intervention training program. The rules on behavior intervention plans and paraprofessional professional development do not name providers. We do not claim that our course satisfies any Tennessee requirement, meets a district's isolation and restraint training requirements, counts as training on a student's behavior intervention plan, or counts toward in-service hours or license renewal. Before buying outside training for any of these purposes, ask your district or the Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 30, 2026.