Birmingham, AL: All faculty/staff to receive autism "sensory training"
- The end of childhood
- 16 hours ago
- 2 min read
Sept 25, 2025, Bham Now: Birmingham City Schools is first district in U.S. to implement KultureCity sensory training
Birmingham City Schools, one of the largest public school districts in Alabama, announced earlier this month that it has implemented “specialized sensory inclusivity training,” according to a release from the district.
The program is a partnership with Birmingham-based nonprofit KultureCity. The goal is to increase faculty and staff awareness of students on the autism spectrum, ensuring they are educated about autism and understand that these students are not exhibiting disciplinary issues.”
The district says they are the first in the U.S. to implement district-wide sensory training.
Meeting kids with disabilities where they are
Many children with autism do not have the support that they need in the classroom. Thanks to this program, this could change for Birmingham students.
“We wanted to make sure that our students were treated in a way that was sensitive to what their abilities are.”
Mark Sullivan, superintendent of Birmingham City Schools
Conditions commonly addressed in training programs like these often include:
Autism
ADHD
Fragile X syndrome
PTSD
Other intellectual disabilities
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin posted on Facebook about the announcement, letting his constituents know what a “big deal” this is:
“Too often, children with sensory needs or who are neurodivergent are misunderstood, mislabeled, or even punished for behaviors rooted in how they experience the world. That stops here. Birmingham City Schools – through a powerful partnership with KultureCity – is sending a clear message: Every child deserves a classroom, a school bus, a hallway and a cafeteria where they feel safe, supported and seen.”
Mayor Randall Woodfin
In addition to the behavioral training for neurodivergent students, district schools will also have:
KultureCity sensory bags (noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards + more)
Preparedness to assist students who become overstimulated or overwhelmed
“Sensory rooms” in some schools
Children with more severe sensory-related disabilities often require, according to the National Institute of Health:
Instruction that is extensive, intensive + individualized
Classroom materials that are substantially adapted + modified
Methods of accessing information that are individualized that help them acquire, maintain, generalize + transfer skills across settings
But sensory training and coping mechanisms aren’t just for the classroom. Other institutions are taking action to ensure they are prepared to best help community members with sensory needs. Many of these partnerships are thanks in part to KultureCity.
Initiatives are popping up around the state, and KultureCity is there to help provide resources to community, company and school leaders.
The State of Alabama passed a law that went into effect in January 2025 that requires first-responders to undergo at least one hour of training, Yellowhammer news reported
In July, Live Nation announced that the new Birmingham Coca-Cola Amphitheater — in addition to 24 venues across the U.S — has committed to being sensory inclusive with help from KultureCity.
KultureCity recently acquired the historic Powell Steam Plant for $11 million and plans to repurpose the former power plant into “the world’s first center that will provide inspiration, information and innovation for both the disability community and the community at large.”
