1. (a) For an individual to be licensed as a school social worker, the individual shall:

   1. (1) Have completed a master’s level specialist program in school social work consisting of a full time, or its equivalent in part-time, coordinated sequence of specifically focused study at the graduate level, culminating in at least a master’s degree in the area of social work from an accredited institution; or

   2. (2) Have earned a master’s degree in social work and one of the following:

      1. a. Have completed an approved conversion program in school social work which shall include a 2-year internship supervised by a licensed school social worker; or
      2. b. Have acquired the knowledge and skills of a school social worker under Ed 505.04, or Ed 505.05.

2. (b) A candidate for licensure as a school social worker shall have skills, competencies, and knowledge in the following areas:

   1. (1) Social welfare and educational policy, including:

      1. a. History of education, social work, and human services systems;
      2. b. Role of policy at local, state, and national levels in education and school social work practice;
      3. c. Process of policy formation and implementation and its impact on student and family systems, schools, organizations, and communities;
      4. d. Use of policy practice to analyze, influence, and advocate; and
      5. e. State and federal laws related to school social work practice, such as education, special education, 504, child welfare, homeless and displaced students, mental health, and juvenile justice;

   2. (2) Social work values and ethics, including:

      1. a. Mission of public education;
      2. b. Mission of school social work to insure student learning, educational equity, and social justice for every student by reducing or eliminating the social, economic, and environmental barriers;
      3. c. Demonstration and promotion of the values of the profession as delineated in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics (2017), as specified in Appendix II;
      4. d. Professional school social work and pupil services standards as stated in the NASW Standards for School Social Work Services (2012), as specified in Appendix II; and
      5. e. Ability to use an ethical decision-making model to guide practice;

   3. (3) Social and economic justice and populations at risk, including:

      1. a. Understanding risk/resiliency factors for populations at risk;
      2. b. Understanding the dynamics of risk factors for school failure and the strategies to address them;
      3. c. Understanding how group membership and various forms of oppression affect access to resources and educational opportunities;
      4. d. Strategies to combat discrimination, oppression, institutional racism, and economic deprivation;
      5. e. Advocacy for non-discriminatory social and economic systems; and
      6. f. Identification of inequities in access to school and community programs and services for children, youth, and families;
   4. (4) Skills in systematic assessments, data gathering, and interpretation at multiple levels using a variety of methods to assess the needs, characteristics, and interactions of students, families, and school personnel;

   5. (5) Effective prevention and intervention with individuals, families, schools, and communities including:

      1. a. Utilization of a strength-based approach to enhance students’ capacities, with special emphasis on students in populations at risk;
      2. b. Design and implementation of practice strategies with persons from diverse backgrounds;
      3. c. Partnership with families and others to resolve challenges in the home, school, and community;
      4. d. Counseling;
      5. e. Crisis intervention and other mental health services;
      6. f. Casework and case management;
      7. g. Group work;
      8. h. Mediation and conflict resolution;
      9. i. Advocacy;
      10. j. Development of positive behavioral intervention strategies for all students;
      11. k. Program development and management;
      12. l. Provision of professional development and community education;
      13. m. Collaboration, consultation, and coordination as leaders or members of interdisciplinary teams and community partnerships; and
      14. n. Community organization, including mobilization of school and community resources;

   6. (6) Human behavior and social environment, including:

      1. a. Biological, psychological, and sociological variables affecting development, learning, and educational achievement; and
      2. b. Application of theoretical frameworks to understand the interaction among individuals and between individuals and social systems such as families, groups, organizations, and communities;

   7. (7) Diversity, including:

      1. a. Cultural factors in race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and social class and how culture affects individual, family, group, organizational, and community behavior;

         b Understanding of, and affirmation and respect for, people from diverse backgrounds and recognition of diversity within and between groups;

      2. c. Development of trust, open communication, mutual respect, and ongoing collaboration with members of diverse populations; and
      3. d. Ability to take cultural and other diversity factors into account in assessments and interventions; and

   8. (8) Research, including:

      1. a. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies; and

      2. b. Use of practice literature and empirically-based knowledge in the areas of children, youth, families, and schools to:

         1. 1. Provide school social work services and educational interventions;
         2. 2. Monitor and assess programs and services;
         3. 3. Monitor and assess academic and social progress; and
         4. 4. Initiate change and improve practice, policy, and programs.

3. (c) For the purposes of Ed 507.14, populations at risk shall include, but not be limited to:

   1. (1) Children with special educational needs;
   2. (2) School age parents;
   3. (3) Homeless youth and families;
   4. (4) Students affected by mental health and substance misuse issues;
   5. (5) Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth;
   6. (6) Abused and neglected students;
   7. (7) Students living in poverty;
   8. (8) Children of color;
   9. (9) Adjudicated and incarcerated youth;
   10. (10) English language learners;
   11. (11) Students whose families are in crisis; and
   12. (12) Other marginalized groups of students.

Source. #6349, eff 10-5-96, EXPIRED: 10-4-04 New. #8229, eff 12-17-04; ss by #9306, eff 10-25-08; ss by #12144, eff 3-24-17; ss by #13102, eff 10-5-20 (formerly Ed 507.14) (see Revision Note at part heading for Ed 508)