Washington State School Social Work Standards
Standard I. Content and Service Delivery
The school social worker understands and knows how to apply the central/core concepts, tools of inquiry, theories, skills and values of the general field of social work and how they relate to the Washington State Learning Goals, Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALR's), Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC). The school social worker utilizes these constructs to facilitate the educational, social and emotional development of students by working towards reducing the impact of non-academic barriers to academic success as well as supporting and enhancing a safe and secure learning environment.
Standard II. Planning, Assessment, and Evaluation
The school social worker understands and knows how to apply various formal and informal assessment tools to identify student needs. The school social worker works with students, families, school staff and/or the larger community to design interventions to address the needs identified. Best practices in evaluation criteria will be used to monitor the success of the intervention and revisions.
Standard III. Consultation and Collaboration
The school social worker understands and knows how to develop consultative and collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, families, and the community to support student social/emotional development and learning.
Standard IV. Advocacy and Facilitation
The school social worker understands and knows how to advocate and facilitate changes that empower students, families, educators and others to gain access to and effectively use school and community resources.
Standard V. Diversity and Learning Community
The school social worker understands how student learning is influenced and impacted by culture, family dynamics, community values, individual learning styles, talents, gender, sexual orientation, language, prior learning, economics and disabilities. The school social worker utilizes this knowledge to design, implement and evaluate programs that enhance student learning and social interaction in school, family and community. The school social worker also understands, supports and facilitates a safe and secure learning environment.
Standard VI. Professional Development
The school social worker understands and values the need for professional development and is able to use supervision, consultation, collaboration, continuing education, and professional research to evaluate and enhance their practice.
Standard I. Content and Service Delivery
The school social worker understands and knows how to apply the central/core concepts, tools of inquiry, theories, skills and values of the general field of social work and how they relate to the Washington State Learning Goals, Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALR's), Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC). The school social worker utilizes these constructs to facilitate the educational, social and emotional development of students by working towards reducing the impact of non-academic barriers to academic success as well as supporting and enhancing a safe and secure learning environment.
Standard II. Planning, Assessment, and Evaluation
The school social worker understands and knows how to apply various formal and informal assessment tools to identify student needs. The school social worker works with students, families, school staff and/or the larger community to design interventions to address the needs identified. Best practices in evaluation criteria will be used to monitor the success of the intervention and revisions.
Standard III. Consultation and Collaboration
The school social worker understands and knows how to develop consultative and collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, families, and the community to support student social/emotional development and learning.
Standard IV. Advocacy and Facilitation
The school social worker understands and knows how to advocate and facilitate changes that empower students, families, educators and others to gain access to and effectively use school and community resources.
Standard V. Diversity and Learning Community
The school social worker understands how student learning is influenced and impacted by culture, family dynamics, community values, individual learning styles, talents, gender, sexual orientation, language, prior learning, economics and disabilities. The school social worker utilizes this knowledge to design, implement and evaluate programs that enhance student learning and social interaction in school, family and community. The school social worker also understands, supports and facilitates a safe and secure learning environment.
Standard VI. Professional Development
The school social worker understands and values the need for professional development and is able to use supervision, consultation, collaboration, continuing education, and professional research to evaluate and enhance their practice.
