Administrator

Home	Administrator Information Are you a Principal or Superintendent who is concerned about the number of students who struggle academically because of problems that come from outside of school? Are you an AEA Administrator seeking ways to support local districts in their efforts to improve student achievement even in high risk schools? If you are, this page is for you. School Social Workers have special training and skills that enable them to work collaboratively with students, families, teachers, administrators and community service providers to help students succeed in school.
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Employment		School Districts
Discussion			Information for Principals and Superintendents
What could a school social worker do for our district?			It isn't easy to produce high achieving students when problems at home and in the community seem to undermine a school's best efforts. Successful administrators know that having the right people with the right skills makes all the difference! School social workers possess the skills that schools need to overcome the challenges that many students face. See the presentation at School Social Workers Make a Difference. Unlike other states, the majority of the school social workers in Iowa schools are employed by Area Education Agencies rather than school districts. Social workers are specifically mentioned in the original and subsequent IDEA legislation. They are an important part of the multi-disciplinary team that identifies and develops plans and services for students with special needs. AEA school social workers are dedicated to serving students at risk to be in or in special education. However, an increasing number of Iowa school administrators realize that they need the skills of school social workers to help all of the students in their school. As a result, an increasing number of schools have hired school social workers in addition to the support they receive from their AEA. School social workers employed by districts are not replacements for the AEA social workers. District and AEA school social workers, other AEA personnel, building staff, families and community providers work together to help all students succeed in school. School Social Workers bring unique knowledge and skills to the pupil service team in a district. They are instrumental in furthering the school's academic mission by bringing individuals from the home, school and community together to create school, home and community environments that develop competence and confidence in children and youth.
What makes a social worker a school social worker?			School social work is a specialized field of practice within the social work profession. School social workers in Iowa must complete a master's degree in social work, be licensed by the Iowa Department of Health's Board of Social Work and by the Iowa Department of Education's Board of Educational Examiners. See School Social Work Licensing. School social workers can be licensed by the Board of Social Work with the LISW or the LMSW. School social workers can be licensed by the Board of Educational Examiners with the School Social Work Endorsement or their employing district or AEA can request a Letter of Professional Recognition (SPR). The School Social Work Endorsement requires the completion of a graduate program approved by the Board of Educational Examiners that includes courses in education and a practicum in a school setting. These social workers have specific training to work in schools and they have an entry level educational license that enables them to pursue other education endorsements. The University of Iowa and St. Ambrose University have approved programs for school social workers. Social workers who are not eligible for the School Social Work Endorsement can practice social work in schools if their AEA or District requests a "Statement of Professional Recognition" from the Board of Social Work Examiners. To be eligible for a SPR an individual must have completed an MSW (Masters degree in Social Work), be licensed by the Iowa Board of Social Work at the LISW or LMSW level and have followed Department of Education protocols for educators. See School Social Work Licensing for a more detailed description.
How much will it cost to hire a school social worker?			School social workers should be paid on the same pay schedule as other certified staff. Because all school social workers must have a master's degree in social work they enter the pay scale at the master's level. The MSW frequently requires 60 hours of graduate credit. A full year of a social worker's training is devoted to field instruction. School social workers with the School Social Work Endorsement will have had an entire year of experience in a school setting with the guidance of a licensed social worker to prepare them to take on the responsibilities of the job.
What types of funds can be used?			School social workers employed within Area Education Agencies are funded through state and federal funds dedicated to students with special needs, or students at risk for special education. However, other types of funds can be used to fund social work positions in districts. Many school social work positions begin in federally funded grant programs. Schools see how valuable the skills of the social worker are and they decide to keep the position after the grant funding is exhausted using a variety of other resources. At risk and Title I funds can be used. School social workers can also be partially funded through Title XIX billing. Title XIX provides health related services for students with special needs in schools. These funds also provide for the services of a professional mental health counselor that may be a school social worker or a school psychologist.
AREA EDUCATION AGENCIES
Information for AEA Administrators
Why do AEAs need school social workers?			Social workers are specifically mentioned in the original and subsequent IDEA legislation as a related service that students in special education have a right to receive (See http://www.sswaa.org/about/connecting.pdf. However, that is not the only reason that school social workers are valuable employees for Iowa AEAs. The skills that school social workers bring to the school setting are the skills needed in the implementation of Iowa's Response to Intervention model. Social workers are trained to work collaboratively with diverse populations to build consensus, find solutions to problems, and to design and implement plans to bring about change. These are exactly the skills that are needed to by team members implementing a Response to Intervention model. For more information see http://www.sswaa.org/Role_of_SSW_in_RTI_FINAL_11-06.pdf.
How are school social work licensure requirements met?			All social workers must be licensed by the Board of Social Work in the Iowa Department of Health in order to practice social work in Iowa. A social worker that completes a master's degree in social work and successfully completes the intermediate level of the ASWB (Association of Social Work Boards) examination can apply for a license to practice social work. Personnel staff should ask to see this license before continuing the hiring process. A social worker that completes one of the two graduate programs in social work approved by the Board of Educational Examiners can ask the University to recommend them for the School Social Work Endorsement from the Board of Educational Examiners. The University of Iowa's School of Social Work and St. Ambrose University's School of Social Work are the only two approved school social work programs in Iowa. Social workers from other states that complete a school social work program in that state can write to the Board of Educational Examiners, providing a transcript from their graduate program, to request approval for the endorsement. The School Social Work Endorsement serves as an entry level educational license to work in Iowa schools. A copy of the School Social Work Endorsement should be kept in the employee's personnel file. If an AEA or District wishes to hire a social worker that is licensed, but has not completed an approved program, the Director of Personnel or other administrator may write to the Board of Educational Examiners, submitting proof that the individual has completed a master's degree in social work from an accredited School of Social Work, to request that the individual be granted an SPR (Statement of Professional Recognition). A copy of the applicant's SPR should be kept in the employee's personnel file. See School Social Work Licensure for further information.

Frequently asked questions	Response
If a school social worker is licensed by the Board of Educational Examiners do they still need a license from the Board of Social Work?	Yes, social workers must first be licensed to practice social work in the State of Iowa. It is against Iowa law to call oneself a social worker without being licensed by the Iowa Department of Health.
Do social workers have knowledge about education that will enable them to be successful in schools?	Not all social workers have knowledge about schools. Social workers who have the School Social Work Endorsement do have specific training to work in schools. They must complete a program approved by the Board of Educational Examiners and they must have completed field training in a school setting.
Can school social workers deliver instruction in the classroom without the classroom teacher being present?	School social workers that are certified to work in schools by the Board of Educational Examiners can work with students without a teacher being present.

Do you have a question for our FAQ? We would like to develop a list that would be helpful for administrators interested in hiring school social workers. Please send your questions to charlene_thiede@yahoo.com.