NASW Standards for School Social Work Services - National ...

N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F S O C I A L W O R K E R SN A S W S t a n d a r d s f o rSchoolSocial WorkS e r v i c e s2012

N A S W S t a n d a r d s f o rSchoolSocial WorkS e r v i c e s

National Association of Social WorkersJeane W. Anastas, PhD, LMSWNASW President (2011- 2014)Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH,NASW Executive DirectorStandards for School Social Work ServicesWork GroupMichelle Alvarez, MSW, EdD, LICSW, C-SSWSCorrine Anderson-Ketchmark, MSWRon Avi Astor, MSW, PhDBeth G. Betman, MSW, LICSW, RPT-SLynn Bye, PhD, MSW, LISWAndy Frey, PhDJoseph R. Gianesin, PhD, MSW, LICSWCarolyn Read, MSW, ACSW, C-SSWS, LCSWCindy Sweigart, MS, MSW, LMSWGalen Thomas, MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CSSW (IL)Carmen D. Weisner, MSW, LCSW, ACSWNASW StaffTracy R. Whitaker, DSW, ACSWSharon S. Issurdatt, MSW, ACSW, DCSW, LICSWKamilah Omari, LLMSW, ACSW©2012 National Association of Social Workers.All Rights Reserved.

Contents1 Introduction1 The Evolving Context of Education3 Guiding Principles5 Goals of the Standards7 Standards7 Standard 1. Ethics and Values8 Standard 2. Qualifications9 Standard 3. Assessment9 Standard 4. Intervention10 Standard 5. Decision Making and Practice Evaluation10 Standard 6. Record Keeping11 Standard 7. Workload Management11 Standard 8. Professional Development12 Standard 9. Cultural Competence13 Standard 10. Interdisciplinary Leadership and Collaboration13 Standard 11. Advocacy14 Appendix A. Administrative Structure and Support

IntroductionFor over a hundred years, school social workershave been providing a critical link betweenschool, home, and community. The schoolsocial work profession has consistently focusedon coordinating the efforts of schools, families,and communities toward helping studentsimprove their academic achievement and social,emotional, and behavioral competence by usingits unique perspective of viewing the person inhis or her environment. School social workersseek to ensure equitable education opportunities;ensure that students are mentally, physically, andemotionally present in the classroom; andpromote respect and dignity for all students.School social work is a complex and specializedfield of practice that is affected by changes ineducation policy, research, and practice modelsthat continue to evolve. NASW periodicallyrevises the NASW Standards for School SocialWork Services to meet the changing needs ofschool social workers, the clients they serve, andlocal education agencies. NASW has revisedthese standards to reflect the values of ourprofession and current practice trends.The Evolving Context of EducationPassage of the 2002 No Child Left BehindAct, a reauthorization of the Elementary andSecondary Education Act, addresses schoolsocial work services and was written to createa stronger, more accountable education systemwith an emphasis on parental involvement,evidence-informed educational strategies,and data-informed decision making.1

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Actof 2004 (IDEA), a reauthorization of theEducation for All Handicapped Children Act(PL 94-142), also addresses school social workservices. This reauthorization promotes theadoption of effective interventions and placesa premium on prevention by allowing schooldistricts to alter substantially the screening andidentification procedures for children withdisabilities. Specifically, IDEA permits schooldistricts to use a process that determinesstudents’ ability to respond to scientific,evidence-informed interventions as criteriafor special education eligibility. This approach,referred to as response to intervention (RtI),has been applied to academic and behavioralsupports in special and regular education. Thismethod can replace the discrepancy model—theprocess of comparing ability and achievement toidentify students with learning difficulties.The multitier model suggests a reallocation ofschool social work services to address schoolwideand small group intervention and considerationof more intensive interventions for individualstudents, based on their level of response tointerventions at prior levels. The RtI frameworkdirects school personnel to monitor studentsuccess across all three levels and to makedata-informed decisions to determine whichstudents require more intensive levels ofintervention. By using data-informed decisionmaking, schools can more effectively directresources to where they are needed.Educational research has focused on thefollowing five topics and will likely continue tohave a direct impact on school social workpractice: (1) integrated intervention efforts that2

emphasize primary prevention; (2) earlyscreening and intervention; (3) approaches tointervention that target multiple risk factors inhome, school, and community settings andinvolve parents, teachers, and administrators;(4) approaches that seek to improve individualand system factors contributing to academicsuccess; and (5) data-informed decision makingand intervention fidelity.These policy, research, and practice themes arereflected in these standards.Guiding PrinciplesThe following guiding principles addressmultiple domains of practice and are reflectedin these standards.1. Education/School Reform: Legislators,policymakers, and the general public willcontinue to demand reform and increasedaccountability as economic stressors requirecutbacks in expenditures for education. It isimportant that social workers be proactive toaddress these pressures and advocate forresources. School social workers actively helpschool systems meet expectations of federal,state, and local mandates; particularly thosedesigned to promote equal educationalopportunity, social justice, and the removal ofbarriers to learning. School social work practiceis consistent with these mandates and promotesthe academic mission of schools by fosteringeducational environments that are safe; havesupportive, fair, and responsive policies; andemphasize early intervention and positivebehavioral interventions.3

2. Social Justice: Equal educational opportunitycontinues to be an elusive goal as indicated bydiscrepancies in standardized measures ofachievement, graduation rates, and thepercentage of students attending college acrosspopulation subgroups. It is important for theschool social worker to collaborate with andfacilitate collaboration among students, parents,community members, administration, teachers,and other school staff to identify ways tointervene early with students who struggle tobenefit fully from the educational system. Anecological perspective, the hallmark of socialwork education, is essential for identifyingresources for addressing these disparities.3. Multitier Interventions: The multitier modelincludes three tiers relating to prevention andintervention.Tier 1 refers to evidence-informed, schoolwideprevention programs and practices that teachpositive behaviors, promote social emotionaldevelopment, and ensure a school climateconducive to learning. Tier 1 programs andpractices are implemented by all staff in theschool setting. Ongoing data-informeddecision making ensures that Tier 1interventions are effective.Tier 2 refers to the use of evidence-informed,small group, and short-term interventionsfocused on improving early academic andsocial–emotional engagement to reduce problembehavior. For example, these interventions couldtarget conflict resolution, social skills, mentalhealth needs, and short-term crisis situationsthat do not require more intensive tier 3interventions. On the basis of data4

demonstrating a lack of response to tier 1interventions, students are referred for theadditional support offered at tier 2. Thesestrategies should be efficient to apply andeffective in terms of producing rapidimprovement in students’ ability to learn andbe successful in school.Tier 3 refers to the use of evidence-informedindividual and long-term interventions. Tier3 interventions are provided to students whohave serious academic, behavioral, orsocial–emotional problems that constitute achronic condition that has not responded todata-driven tier 1 or tier 2 interventions. Thegoal of this tier is to reduce the negative impactof the condition on a student’s functioning.Tier 3 interventions involve intensiveindividualized strategies that are implementedfor extended periods of time and frequentlyinvolve community agencies. Data from tier 3interventions may indicate the need to considereligibility for special education services.In summary, school social workers not onlyprovide direct services to children who requirebasic needs or exhibit challenging behavior, butalso lead prevention efforts that support childrenthrough building the capacity of familymembers, other school staff, and communityagencies to improve student outcomes.Goals of the StandardsThese standards were developed to broadlydefine the scope of services that school socialworkers shall provide, that school administratorsshould support, and that students and families5

should expect. The standards are designed toenhance awareness of the skills, knowledge,values, methods, and sensitivity school socialworkers need to work effectively withinschool systems.Ideally, these standards will stimulate thedevelopment of clear guidelines, goals, andobjectives related to school social workservices in social work practice, research,policy, and education.The specific goals of the standards are to establish expectations for school socialwork practices and services; to ensure that school social work services areguided by the NASW Code of Ethics; to ensure the highest quality of school socialwork services will be provided to studentsand families; to provide a basis for advocating for clients’rights to be treated with respect and dignity,confidentiality, access to supportive services,and appropriate inclusion in decision making; to provide a basis for the preparation ofschool social workers and the development ofcontinuing education materials and programsrelated to school social work services; and to encourage school social workers toparticipate in the development andrefinement of public policy, at the local, state,and federal levels, to support school success.6

StandardsStandard 1. Ethics and ValuesSchool social workers shall adhere to the ethicsand values of the social work profession andshall use the NASW Code of Ethics as a guide toethical decision making, while understandingthe unique aspects of school social work practiceand the needs of the students, parents, andcommunities they serve.InterpretationSchool social workers shall demonstrate corevalues of service, social justice, dignity andworth of the person, importance of humanrelationships, integrity, and competence. Inaddition, school social workers shall adhereto the professional ethical responsibilitiesdelineated in the NASW Code of Ethics.School social workers shall have knowledgeof and comply with local, state, and federalmandates related to informed consent, privacyand confidentiality, and access to records withinthe context of legal and ethical rights of minorsand parents. Students, families, and otherprofessionals shall be informed of the limitsof confidentiality when services are initiated.Employers and school administrators shouldbe informed of the ethical responsibilities ofthe social work profession. In the event thatconflicts arise among competing expectations,school social workers are directed to theNASW Code of Ethics as a tool in theirdecision making.7

Standard 2. QualificationsSchool social workers shall meet the provisionsfor professional practice set by NASW and theirrespective state department of education andpossess knowledge and understanding basic tothe social work profession as well as the localeducation system.InterpretationSchool social workers shall have a graduatedegree in social work from a program accreditedby the Council on Social Work Education(CSWE). An MSW degree is the recommendedentry-level qualification for a school socialworker position. As a distinct specialty withinthe social work profession, school social workrequires specialized knowledge andunderstanding of education systems, whichshould be provided by social work educationprograms. The school social worker shallactively seek this specialized training when theCSWE accredited program does not provide it.School social workers shall be licensed by stateboards of social work and certified through statedepartments of education when available.School social workers shall have specializedknowledge and an understanding of historicaland current perspectives of public schooleducation at the local, state, and national levels,including educational reform and legislation.School social workers shall also beknowledgeable about evidence-informedapproaches to teaching and learning thatpromote positive academic outcomes forall students.8

Standard 3. AssessmentSchool social workers shall conduct assessmentsof individuals, families and systems/organizations(namely, classroom, school, neighborhood,district, state) with the goal of improvingstudent social, emotional, behavioral, andacademic outcomes.InterpretationSchool social workers shall possess skills insystematic assessment, data gathering, andinterpretation at multiple levels using a varietyof methods (for example, interview, directobservation, standardized instruments, surveys,focus groups) to assess the needs, characteristics,and interactions of students, families, and schoolpersonnel. School social workers shall conductreliable and valid assessments of students andorganizations to inform the design ofinterventions to remove barriers to learning.Assessments shall use ecological perspectivesand functional approaches to enhanceunderstanding of barriers to learning and theinterventions that foster improvement of studentwell-being and academic progress.Standard 4. InterventionSchool social workers shall understand anduse evidence-informed practices in theirinterventions.InterpretationSchool social workers shall remain current withschool-based intervention research and useevidence-informed practices in service delivery.Interventions shall be designed to enhancepositive educational experiences and involve thestudent, the family, other team members, schoolpersonnel, and community resources as9

appropriate. Interventions shall be based onassessments relevant to the concerns in thereferral and include goals, objectives, methods ofevaluation, and outcome criteria. Interventionsshall be applied within the multitier frameworkand address the ecologies (for example, home,school, community) most relevant to theproblem being addressed.Standard 5. Decision Making and PracticeEvaluationSchool social workers shall use data to guideservice delivery and to evaluate their practiceregularly to improve and expand services.InterpretationSchool social workers shall collect, analyze,synthesize, and disseminate data related to theirpractice. School social workers shall conductongoing evaluation to determine the level ofeffectiveness of all interventions. Methods usedto evaluate social work practice shall be assessedperiodically to ensure that objectives, activities,and measured outcomes are aligned with thelocal education agency’s goals and social workethical practice.Standard 6. Record KeepingSchool social workers shall maintain accuratedata and records that are relevant to planning,implementation, and evaluation of school socialwork services.InterpretationSchool social workers shall maintain timely,accurate, and confidential records thatdocument school social work services,demonstrate outcomes, and promoteaccountability to the local education agency10

and community. Records shall be maintainedaccording to federal, state, and local laws.Standard 7. Workload ManagementSchool social workers shall organize theirworkloads to fulfill their responsibilities andclarify their critical roles within the educationalmission of the school or district in whichthey work.InterpretationSchool social workers shall manage their workin an efficient and effective manner. Prioritiesfor practice shall be developed collaborativelybetween the school social worker and thesupervisor. Priorities shall be established on thebasis of the needs of students, professional skillsof the school social worker, program needs,research, and availability of other resources.School social workers shall perform roles andresponsibilities across a multitier framework forservice delivery and use technology to enhancecommunication, obtain and organizeinformation, demonstrate accountability, andcomplete workload assignments.Standard 8. Professional DevelopmentSchool social workers shall pursue continuousenhancement of knowledge and skills toprovide the most current, beneficial, andculturally appropriate services to studentsand their families.InterpretationSchool social workers shall adhere to theNASW Standards for Continuing ProfessionalEducation and follow state professionalregulation regarding continuing educationrequirements. School social workers shall access11

ongoing supervision and consultation to increasetheir professional proficiency and competence.School social workers shall participate inprofessional development activities that enhancetheir knowledge and skills. School socialworkers shall also contribute to the developmentof the profession by educating and supervisingschool social work interns when possible.Standard 9. Cultural CompetenceSchool social workers shall ensure that studentsand their families are provided services withinthe context of multicultural understandingand competence.InterpretationSchool social workers shall demonstrate selfawareness, knowledge, and practice skillsconsistent with the NASW Standards forCultural Competence in Social Work Practice.School social workers shall continue to developspecialized knowledge and understandingabout client groups they serve and culturallyappropriate resources. This understanding shallbe applied in a manner that results in a positiveschool climate that respects and valuesdifferences. School social workers shall useevidence-informed practices, skills, andtechniques that reflect the worker’sunderstanding of the role of culture in thehelping process. School social workers shallrecognize barriers to academic progress relatingto cultural issues within the local educationagency, while supporting an environment thathonors and celebrates the cultures of thepopulation within the school.12

Standard 10. Interdisciplinary Leadership andCollaborationSchool social workers shall provide leadershipin developing a positive school climate andwork collaboratively with school administration,school personnel, family members, andcommunity professionals as appropriate toincrease accessibility and effectiveness of services.InterpretationSchool social workers shall serve as leaders andconsultants in promoting positive schoolclimate. School social workers shall also serveas leaders and consultants to facilitate anunderstanding of factors in the home, schooland community that affect students’ educationalexperiences. School social workers shall providetraining and engage parents, school personnel,other professionals and community members inthe removal of barriers to learning. School socialworkers shall also provide leadership andcollaboration in the implementation ofcomprehensive school-based and school-linkedprograms that promote student well-being andpositive academic outcomes.Standard 11. AdvocacySchool social workers shall engage in advocacythat seeks to ensure that all students have equalaccess to education and services to enhance theiracademic progress.InterpretationSchool social workers shall advocate for studentsand their families. This advocacy includeshelping them gain access to and effectively useformal and informal community resources thatenable families to self-advocate. School socialworkers, as systems’ change agents, shall identify13

areas of need that are not being addressed bythe local education agency and community andshall work to create services that address theseneeds. School social workers shall be informedabout court decisions, legislation, rules andregulations, and policies and procedures thataffect school social work practice, to effectivelyadvocate for students.Appendix A. AdministrativeStructure and SupportQualifications and TitleAn MSW degree is the recommendedentry-level qualification for school socialworkers. Local education agencies should ensurethat school social workers have an MSW degreefrom a program accredited by CSWE.However, should the local education agencyemploy school social workers whose highestdegree is a BSW, an MSW-level social workershould provide supervision for the BSW-levelsocial worker.Salaries and job classifications of school socialworkers should be commensurate with theireducation, experience, and responsibilities andbe comparable to similarly qualified specializedinstructional support personnel employed by thelocal education agency.“School social worker” is the position title thatcorrectly identifies the educational background,profession, and function of a social workeremployed by a local education agency. Othertitles, such as “attendance officer,” “pupilpersonnel worker,” “home and school visitor,”“home–school coordinator,” “visiting teacher,”14

“family collaborative worker,” “familyspecialist,” or “home family specialist,” projectincomplete and misleading notions of schoolsocial workers’ qualifications and functions andshould not be used.All social workers in school settings shouldadhere to the NASW Standards for SchoolSocial Work Services.Roles of State Education Agencies/Credentialing/Licensing BoardsState departments of education or other stateentities that license or certify educationalpersonnel should regulate school socialwork practice.State departments should support a stateconsultant position to oversee quality assuranceof school social work practice. A state consultantshould have an MSW degree, have directexperience as a school social worker, and beknowledgeable about current trends in schoolsocial work practice and policy. The stateconsultant should work closely with state,regional and national professional organizationsthat support school social work practice andare knowledgeable about the field of schoolsocial work.Roles of Local Education AgenciesAdministrative Support. The administrativestructure of the local education agency shoulddelineate clear lines of support andaccountability for the school social workprogram and provide for optimum use of theschool social workers’ knowledge and skills.Realistic job descriptions, working conditions,and workload standards are essential for15

effective practice. Regular review of goals,objectives, accomplishments, and accountabilityprocedures of the school social work programare also necessary. Designation of a lead socialworker to help promote appropriate supportand accountability is recommended.Supervision. The administrative structureestablished by the local education agency shouldprovide for appropriate school social worksupervision. The local education agency isresponsible for administrative and professionalsupervision to ensure high quality services.Supervision of school social work programsshould be provided by credentialed andexperienced MSW-level school social workers.Job Tasks. The goals, objectives, and tasks of aschool social work program should be clearlyand directly related to the mission of the localeducation agency and the educational process.School social workers are expected to supportand help facilitate educational reforms andinitiatives. Some examples are those thatemphasize multitier prevention, earlyintervention, parent education and involvement,service integration, partnerships, and support forstudent transitions. The local education agencyshould have position descriptions thatappropriately describe the roles andresponsibilities of school social workers andshould use a performance evaluation tool that isspecific to the practice of school social work.Work Setting. The local education agencyshould provide a professional work setting thatallows school social workers to practiceeffectively. School social workers require basicwork resources to ensure privacy and16

confidentiality for students and families. Thesebasic resources include an office, clericalsupport, current information technology, and anadequate budget for professional materials,supplies, and activities. Adequate, confidentialspace at each school site for meeting withstudents, families, and local education agencypersonnel is essential.Professional Development. The local educationagency should provide opportunities for schoolsocial workers to engage in professionaldevelopment activities that support school socialwork practice and continued licensure/certification. Funding support and an adequatenumber of professional leave days enable schoolsocial workers to strengthen and broaden skillsrequired to better serve students, families, thelocal education agency, and the community.Leadership. The local education agency shouldinvolve school social workers in developing andcoordinating partnerships with communityhealth, mental health, and social serviceproviders linked with or based at school sitesto ensure that these services promote studenteducational success. Because of their extensiveknowledge of community resources, schoolsocial workers play a critical role in facilitatingthe provision of community services in the localeducation agency and help orient communityproviders to school climate, culture, andstructure and to the laws and regulationsgoverning practice in educational settings.17

RatiosThe local education agency should establish andimplement a school social worker-to-studentpopulation ratio to ensure reasonable workloadexpectations. The local education agency shouldprovide school social work services at a level thatis sufficient to address the nature and extent ofstudent needs. Appropriate ratios for schoolsocial work staff to students depend on thecharacteristics and needs of the studentpopulation to be served, as well as otherresources in the local education agency andcommunity available to address these needs.Each local or state education agency shouldestablish adequate levels and types of schoolsocial work services on the basis ofcomprehensive needs assessment data.School social work services should be providedat a ratio of one school social worker to eachschool building serving up to 250 generaleducation students, or a ratio of 1:250 students.When a school social worker is providingservices to students with intensive needs, alower ratio, such as 1:50, is suggested.18

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