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Thematic analysis identifies five reform priorities: alternative assessments, anti-racism, ADEI integration, calls for elimination, CSWE alignment, and practical-skills relevance.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/rethinking-social-work-licensure-test-taker-perspectives-on-fairness-relevance-and-reform/294199/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/rethinking-social-work-licensure-test-taker-perspectives-on-fairness-relevance-and-reform/294199.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Emma Wilson","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-25","2026-09-17",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",10,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What is the study’s purpose regarding the ASWB licensing exam?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The study explores social workers’ experiences taking ASWB exams, assesses the exam’s impact on individuals, and provides recommendations for reform.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"Why is fairness a central concern in the paper?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Unequal pass rates have led to criticism and raise concerns about potential bias that disproportionately affects people of color and other underrepresented groups.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What reform directions emerged from the qualitative analysis?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Key themes include alternative assessment methods, integrating anti-racism and ADEI into the exams, calls for eliminating the exams, aligning with CSWE EPAS, and improving content relevance to practical skills.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},294199,1790061408,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,95,100,105,110,115,120,123,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":122},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":55,"slug":125},"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":33,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145},3848291630094,"https://eur-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_085a072bc5b1113ac321206ff7593b45","Rethinking Social Work Licensure: Test-Taker Perspectives on Fairness,  \nRelevance, and Reform  \nNickolas B. Davis  \nAloha VanCamp  \nAbstract: The purpose of this study is to provide insight into the experiences of social workers who have taken an Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) licensing exam, while exploring the exam’s impact on individuals and offering recommendations for reform. The ASWB exams have faced criticism due to disparities in pass rates, raising concerns about potential bias that disproportionately affects people of color and underrepresented groups. Using a mixed-methods survey distributed via the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Community Board and the Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD) listserv, both demographic data and qualitative feedback were collected from 76 social work professionals. Thematic analysis of the responses revealed five key themes: alternative assessment methods, the need for anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) integration in the exams, calls for exam elimination, alignment with Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS), and content relevance to practical skills. The results indicate a needfor the ASWB exams to evolve in response to the diverse requirements of social work practice, ensuring the exam protects the public while doing so equitably. This study underscores the importance of revising the licensing process to better align with the values of the profession and the realities of social work practice.  \nKeywords: social work licensure, ASWB exams, equity, testing disparities, social work education, licensing reform  \nBefore the early 20th century, only a few professional groups were regulated including medicine, law, and theology (Law & Kim, 2005) . In 1915, Abraham Flexner delivered a speech titled,“Is Social Work a Profession?” in which he questioned whether social work holds a distinct knowledge base and practice autonomy. This critique prompted social workers to define the profession’s scope, values, and standards clearly and concisely (Daley & Pittman-Munke, 2021; Flexner, 1915) . In the 1920s, social workers worked in child welfare agencies, hospitals, psychiatric clinics, public schools, and settlement houses. Social work was largely unregulated although there were various standards and guidelines across regions. However, as the profession developed, the need for professional standards became more apparent, due to an increasing number of complaints and lawsuits. In 1955, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) was one of the earliest organizations to help centralize and establish the guidelines and standards for the profession.  \nThe United States Constitution grants the states authority to establish laws and regulate professions to protect the health, safety, and public welfare of their citizens. Currently, all fifty states have laws that govern the protection of public health and safety, encompassing the profession of social work. The regulation of social workers typically falls under the  \ncategories of registration, title protection, certification, and licensure (Kleiner 2006 ; Wolchik, 2015) . Registration is considered the least restrictive whereas licensure is considered the most restrictive. Licensure enables states to track and verify qualified practitioners.  \nIn 1979, the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) was established. It was originally named the American Association of State Social Work Boards and was created to build uniform licensing standards and regulations across the states as well as the provinces of Canada. Their mission was to create a standardized examination that assesses the competence of social work practitioners (ASWB, 2021) . The first exams were administered in the 1980s (ASWB, 2021) . Although the ASWB exams primarily serve the United States and Canada, they are now recognized as global models for other countries that are seeking to establi","cbCaib1BYwS1R6iR","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaib1BYwS1R6iR","pdf",548211,15,"English","# Abstract\n# Background and Origins of Social Work Professional Standards\n# State Regulation and Licensure Framework\n# ASWB Development and Exam Structure\n# Pass Rates and Disparities\n# Reform Recommendations and Alignment","[{\"question\":\"What is the study’s purpose regarding the ASWB licensing exam?\",\"answer\":\"The study explores social workers’ experiences taking ASWB exams, assesses the exam’s impact on individuals, and provides recommendations for reform.\"},{\"question\":\"Why is fairness a central concern in the paper?\",\"answer\":\"Unequal pass rates have led to criticism and raise concerns about potential bias that disproportionately affects people of color and other underrepresented groups.\"},{\"question\":\"What reform directions emerged from the qualitative analysis?\",\"answer\":\"Key themes include alternative assessment methods, integrating anti-racism and ADEI into the exams, calls for eliminating the exams, aligning with CSWE EPAS, and improving content relevance to practical skills.\"}]","Rethinking Social Work Licensure - Test-Taker Perspectives on Fairness, Relevance, and Reform | PDF",1789677841,38]