Sharing Perspectives on the ASWB Exams

Alexandria Lewis

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The Issues

The NASW Code of Ethics calls for social workers to uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge, and mission of the profession. The NASW Code of Ethics supports active discussion and responsible criticism of the profession. I view social work licensure as separate from passing a standardized exam. So, my discussion and critique relate to the ASWB licensing exams and not social work licensure. 

On September 9, 2022, I participated in a virtual discussion about the ASWB exam: Talking About the ASWB Data in the Classroom (direct link to the recording).

In more than 50 years of use, clinical exams for mental health licensure have never been shown to possess any level of predictive validity, or even to correlate with any other
measure of professional knowledge, safety, or effectiveness.” -Drs. Benjamin E. Caldwell and Tony Rousmaniere, Clinical Licensing Exams in Mental Health

I support the statements by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) about the ASWB exam:

  • “CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation has made the decision to remove licensing exam pass rates from the 2022 EPAS accreditation standards. This change reinforces the 2022 EPAS’ emphasis on anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, which supports social work education programs in developing a workforce of social workers who are knowledgeable about the ways positionality, power, privilege, and difference affect all levels of practice” (CSWE, 2022a, para. 2).
  • “CSWE also commits to exploring models that eliminate the need for a licensing exam. In many cases, a licensing exam may be redundant because graduating from an accredited program of social work is evidence of achievement of the competencies articulated by the CSWE and the social work education community” (CSWE, 2022b, para. 5).
I also support the national NASW recommendation regarding the Compact Licensure draft to remove the qualifying national exam language from the draft:
  • “Subsection S states that “ ‘Qualifying National Exam’ means a national licensing examination developed and administered by a national association of Social Work Licensing Authorities or other competency assessment approved by the Commission…Recommendation: This definition should be deleted. Rationale: Given significant pass rate disparities in the only available exam, we recommend eliminating any reference to a required examination and include alternate pathways to licensure as defined by individual state’s licensing boards. The current exam does not conform with industry testing standards. Further, there is no evidence that the exam ensures competence or prevents misconduct or unethical practice. We cannot support exam requirements that result in unnecessary gatekeeping and discrimination. For these reasons, multiple pathways to licensure are necessary and it is essential that states retain their authority to establish those pathways” (NASW, 2002, p. 7).

Also, the ASWB only analyzes differential item functioning (DIF), and they do not analyze differential test functioning (DTF). DTF is essential because an exam is more than just an individual test question. In the Standards for Educational Psychological Testing requirements, they indicate the following:

  • “The detection of DIF does not always indicate bias in an item; there needs to be a suitable, substantial explanation for the DIF to justify the conclusion that the item is biased. Differential test functioning (DTF) refers to differences in the functioning of tests (or sets of items) for different specially defined groups. . When DTF occurs, individuals from different groups who have the same standing on the characteristic assessed by the test do not have the same expected test score” (American Educational Research Association, 2014. p. 51).

The ASWB has indicated they don’t need to analyze DTF; however, given the differences in pass rates among certain groups, shouldn’t they want to engage in due diligence to analyze DTF to cover all bases? The exams are high stakes, so I do not think it is asking too much for the ASWB to analyze DTF.

Lack of Transparency

Deans and directors of social work programs contacted the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to request pass rates based on demographic data. The ASWB former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dwight J. Hymans wrote in an open letter dated December 21, 2020, to social work deans and directors, the ASWB stated:

  • “ASWB does not collect and thus does not release outcomes based on demographics. It is the written policy of ASWB as directed by the ASWB Board of Directors” (ASWB, 2020).

The ASWB indicated they did not collect demographic data; however, one year later, the ASWB wrote the following on November 21, 2021:

  • “On November 9, ASWB’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a motion to gather, analyze, and release examination performance data” (ASWB, 2021, para.1). 

The ASWB 2022 Exam Pass Rate Analysis Final Report (ASWB, 2022a) included ten years of data, which shows the ASWB had access to demographic information that could be used to analyze these data. The recent release of demographic data by the ASWB showed pass rate disparities for the following demographics:

  • 50 years and older
  • Non-English speaking
  • Black
  • Native American/Indigenous peoples
  • Hispanic/Latino

The following tables include first-time pass rates for the Masters exam, focusing on race/ethnicity, age, and primary language. Additional data is available in the ASWB 2022 Exam Pass Rate Analysis Final Report.

Masters Exam First-Time Pass Rates by Race/Ethnicity
Race/Ethnicity Pass Rate Percentage
Black 44.5%
Hispanic/Latino 63%
Native American/Indigenous peoples 64.4%
Asian 71%
Multiracial 80%
White 85.8%
Masters Exam First-Time Pass Rates by Age
Age Range Pass Rate Percentage
18-29 77.2%
30-39 73.4%
40-49 67.4%
50 and older 65.8%
Masters Exam First-Time Pass Rates by Primary Language
Primary Language Pass Rate Percentage
Other 57.2%
English 75.1%

The ASWB exams are a barrier to licensure for older social workers, non-English speaking social workers, Black social workers, Native American/Indigenous social workers, and Asian social workers. The ASWB does not have a history of collecting data about disabilities, so the pass rates of persons with disabilities are unknown.

Profit

The ASWB views the exam as central to their association. For instance, the ASWB noted, “The licensing examination program remains at the center of the association” (ASWB, n.d., p. 9). During the fiscal year ending 2021,  they had $24,599,963 in revenue with $17,659,247 from their exams and net assets of 40 million (yes you read this correctly- 40 million) (ProPublica, n.d.).

The ASWB has used the language of “public safety” to defend the use of its licensing exams. However, passing a standardized exam does not predict whether a social worker will practice ethically and effectively.

The ASWB profits from the exams, and they have an invested interest (no pun intended) in their exams being used as part of the licensure process.

The ASWB believes that the exam does not have significant issues, so their focus is their deficit-based thinking about individual test-takers. Since the ASWB does not view the exam as a problem, the solutions must center on removing the barrier of the exam. The ASWB had decades to evaluate and enhance their exams; they have a conflict of interest because most of their profit is from their exams. They hold the power and chose not to be transparent for decades.

Deficit thinking

Beliefs, values, and ideologies shape solutions. The ASWB views the exam as central to their organization and revenue; therefore, they focus on deficit-based thinking about the test-takers who fail the exam. The ASWB (2022a) mentioned: “…historically marginalized groups may be more likely to experience challenges in the period leading up to the exam administration, including but not limited to comprehensive, accurate, and effective exam preparation resources……..” (p. 65). Deficit thinking about people causes marginalization and does not reflect an anti-racist lens.

The ASWB (2022a) noted:

  • “Test-takers who recently graduated from a social work program may be more likely to pass the exams compared to test-takers who, despite being experienced professionals, may have graduated from social work school years earlier and are less likely to have benefited from recent instruction specifically targeted at preparing for the exam” (p. 65).

The belief that experienced professionals lack recent instruction to prepare for the exam does not make sense if, as the ASWB states, their exams measure the minimum competency to practice social work. When professionals with experience in the field of social work cannot pass the ASWB exam, there is something wrong with the exam itself and not the test-takers. To assume that older social workers are not engaged in continuing education and/or do not know how to prepare for the exam presents as deficit thinking about older social workers. There is also an assumption by the ASWB that the older social workers who fail the exam are not recent students.

There is more than one cultural way of knowing, being, doing, and practicing social work. The critique of the ASWB exams is not new. Dr. Jerome H. Schiele stated that the ASWB exam needs to diversify items on the exam by incorporating diverse theories and perspectives (Source: YouTube clip). Also, the practice analysis survey that the ASWB uses as the “blueprint” for the exam lacks diversity:

  • 79% of the respondents in the U.S. identified as Caucasian American/White (Non-Hispanic).
  • 85% of the respondents in Canada identified as White.
  • 88% identified as female.

 

Legislation

Illinois:

  • The amazing work of the Illinois NASW chapter is an excellent example of advocacy in action. From day one, when the ASWB released its report, the NASW-IL was engaged in speaking up and out against the disparities. Even before the release of the demographic data, their state engaged in legislative advocacy to remove the requirement of the Masters ASWB for their LSW level license. The NASW chapter in Illinois reported an increase in licensed social workers (LSW) when their state removed the Masters ASWB exam requirements. ASWB First-Time Pass Results Released: This Is Not Okay. 
  • As of March 2024, the following states have introduced legislation regarding the ASWB licensing exam:
    • Colorado (Signed into law on May 22, 2024)
      • Bill Summary Excerpt: “The bill removes the requirement for an individual to take and pass the board of social work examiners’ masters examination in order to obtain a licensed social worker license.”
    • Connecticut (Session year 2023 introduced)
      • Bill Summary: “To (1) increase the licensure period for licensed clinical social workers and licensed master social workers, (2) reduce the license renewal fee for licensed clinical social workers and licensed master social workers, and (3) allow the Commissioner of Public Health to waive the examination requirement for licensure of master social workers until April 1, 2026.”
    • DC (Session year 2023 introduced)
      • Bill Summary: “As introduced Bill 25-259 would exempt associate and graduate social workers from examination for licensure. It would form a task force to identify an assessment method for independent social worker licensure.”
    • Maine (Introduced 2023; passed House 3/19/24- yeas 74 and nays 61; passed Senate 2/20/24- years 21 and nays 12)
      • Bill Summary: “This amendment is the majority report of the committee and replaces the bill with a resolve. The amendment establishes the Commission to Evaluate the Requirements for Licensing of Social Workers. The commission is directed to conduct a holistic evaluation of the process of social work licensure for licensed master social workers, licensed clinical social workers and licensed social workers, including an evaluation of any disparities based on race, age or disability in the licensure process. The commission is required to submit its report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services no later than November 6, 2024.”
    • Maryland (2023)
      • “The Workgroup on Social Work Licensure Requirements was established by SB 871 (Chapter 228​) in response to disparities across race, age, and language in the passage rate for the Social Work Licensure Exam. The workgroup will examine current social worker licensure requirements, and identify potential alternatives to the current examination and licensure process. The workgroup will make recommendations on how to implement potential alternatives in order to reduce barriers and bias for future social work examinees. ​
    • Massachusetts (House bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means on 3/6/2024)
      • Title: An Act Relative to Social Work Uplifting Practices and Exam Removal.
    • Michigan (House bill referred to Committee on Health Policy on 10/19/23)
      • Bill Summary: “Health occupations: social workers; social work licensure requirements; modify, and include licensure for licensed clinical social workers.”
        • Excerpt: ” Beginning January 1, 2025, both of the following apply:(i) The postdegree experience described in this subdivision is not required for an individual to be granted a license to engage in the practice of social work at the master’s level.
          (ii) An individual is not required to pass an examination to be granted a license to engage in the practice of social work at the master’s level.
          (c) A licensed clinical social worker shall have been awarded a master’s or doctoral degree in the field of social work from a college or university social work program approved by the board and shall have completed at least 2 years of full-time post-master’s or postdoctoral degree experience, or the equivalent in part-time hours, in the practice of social work at the master’s level under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. An individual is not required to pass an examination to be granted a license to engage in the practice of social work at the clinical level.”
    • New York (Referred to Higher Education on 3/7/23 and 1/3/24)
      • Bill Summary: ” An Act to repeal paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of section 7704 of the education law requiring applicants to pass an examination in order to qualify as a licensed master social worker.”
    • North Dakota (Senate introduced 2/17/24; failed to pass- yeas 18 and nays 29)
      • Amendment: “The board may suspend the use of an examination for licensure. Waive examination requirements and create a process under which an applicant may apply for a waiver to licensure examination requirements. Create alternative requirements that do not require an examination to ascertain the qualifications and fitness of a candidate for a license to engage in the practice of social work.”
    • Rhode Island (Masters exam is suspended until August 2025)
    • Utah (Bachelors and Masters exams were removed in 2023)
    • Virginia (Passed the House 2/12/24; referred to a Senate committee 2/13/24; failed to pass 3/1/24- yeas 6 and nays 8)
      • Bill Summary: “Board of Social Work; licensure of clinical social workers; examination alternative; regulation amendments. Directs the Board of Social Work to amend the regulations for the licensure of clinical social workers to allow applicants to utilize an examination alternative, which shall consist of at least 1,500 hours of supervised experience that is obtained within the five calendar years immediately preceding the date of application. The bill clarifies that the examination alternative shall be in addition to any other supervised clinical experience required for licensure.”

Social Work Licensure Compact

There is work in progress for the ability of social workers to be licensed under a compact agreement in states under this agreement. The initial draft included language about “national qualifying exam.” I appreciate the national NASW’s statement to remove this language from the compact agreement because the ASWB exams do not measure or predict effective social work practice.

Update (February 2023): The social work licensure compact language was finalized, and the “national qualifying exam” information was not removed.

Resource: Social Work Licensure Compact Fact Sheet

Advocacy

 

 

References

American Educational Research Association. (2014). Standards for educational and psychological testing. https://www.testingstandards.net/uploads/7/6/6/4/76643089/standards_2014edition.pdf

Association of Social Work Boards (n.d.). Manual for board members. https://www.aswb.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Your-Association-2021.pdf

Association of Social Work Boards (2017). 2017 analysis of the practice of social work final report. https://www.aswb.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2017-Tech-Report.pdf

Association of Social Work Boards. (2020, December 21). An open letter to social work deans and directors. https://www.aswb.org/an-open-letter-to-social-work-deans-and-directors/

Association of Social Work Boards. (2022a). 2022 ASWB exam pass rate analysis final report. https://www.aswb.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022-ASWB-Exam-Pass-Rate-Analysis.pdf

Association of Social Work Boards. (2022b). A year of transitions: 2021 annual report. https://aswbannualreport.org/

Association of Social Work Boards. (2021, November 22). ASWB’s Board of Directors approves initiative to release examination performance data. https://www.aswb.org/aswbs-board-of-directors-approves-initiative-to-release-examination-performance-data/

Council on Social Work Education. (2022a, August 26). Addressing licensing exam pass rate data. https://www.cswe.org/news/news/addressing-licensing-exam-pass-rate-data/

Council on Social Work Education. (2022b, September 8). 2022 EPAS and licensing exam pass rates. https://www.cswe.org/news/news/coa-removes-licensing-exam-pass-rates-from-the-2022-epas/

National Association of Social Workers. (2022, October 20). Update on interstate licensing compact for social work and NASW public comment. https://www.socialworkers.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=fSvAwJFwleg%3d&portalid=0

ProPublica (n.d.). Association of Social Work Boards tax returns. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/222414510/202241369349307529/full

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Sharing Perspectives on the ASWB Exams Copyright © 2023 by Alexandria Lewis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.