KU’s online registered behavior technician certification program approved for federal funding in Kansas

LAWRENCE — Tuition assistance is now available for all qualifying Kansans for the online Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) Training Program at the University of Kansas. The 40-hour program has been approved statewide for funding under the U.S. Department of Labor’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

Kansans who are low-income or recently laid off can contact their local American Job Center, like Workforce Partnership, to see if they qualify for federal dollars to pay the cost for KU’s online RBT Training Program. 

“Individuals in those situations typically cannot afford even extremely low-cost programs like KU’s RBT program, because they are honestly using every available dollar to pay for their household necessities,” Keely Schneider, CEO of Workforce Partnership, said. “Many of our eligible job seekers simply cannot afford to spend any amount to upskill or reskill themselves — and that is a huge way Workforce Partnership is able to assist them.”

The funding comes as demand for RBTs — paraprofessionals who implement applied behavior analysis (ABA) services — has surged in Kansas and across the nation.

The WIOA funding supports essential work training in Kansas, and every RBT trained contributes directly to their community. 

“They work directly with individuals — often children or adults with autism or other developmental disabilities — to teach communication, daily living, social and coping skills that increase independence and quality of life,“ said Claudia Dozer, professor and chair of KU’s Department of Applied Behavioral Science. “RBTs also help reduce behaviors that interfere with safety and learning, making homes, schools, workplaces and public spaces more inclusive for everyone. It is one of the rare training models that produces simultaneous workforce, economic and public-health gains.”

Online access to the RBT program is especially important for Kansans living outside major metropolitan areas or balancing family and work obligations, as many residents face transportation barriers or limited local training options. Eligibility for WIOA training funds isn’t limited to people who are unemployed. Working Kansans can qualify.

“It’s very possible that a working single parent with two children could easily qualify. Those who have been laid off work qualify for our Dislocated Worker program, and income is not taken into account,” Schneider said.

The approval process for WIOA funding is designed to move quickly for those ready to begin the 40-hour online training.

“Qualifying for our training funds can take as little as a few days after an interested individual attends one of our WIOA Orientation Sessions,” Schneider said. “If the individual is able to produce the documentation we need quickly, our turnaround time for approval is typically only about three days.”

In addition to the RBT program, KU has several other workforce-aligned programs approved for WIOA funding, including Lean Six Sigma, with more courses on the way.

The RBT Training Program is delivered fully online in an asynchronous format, offering flexibility for working adults and job seekers across the state. Individuals interested in determining eligibility for WIOA funding can connect with their local Kansas workforce center through Kansas Works to begin the approval process.

Learn more at KU’s RBT Training Program webpage.