LICENSURE

As is true for all professional disciplines, school social work standards and practice have evolved. The level of expertise needed to provide effective and complex assessment and intervention to individuals and systems has dramatically increased. The Ohio School Social Work Association supports the current Ohio Department of Education requirements to practice school social work in Ohio .

The No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Acts have established that only the `most highly qualified’ personnel in a professional discipline, who have completed a graduate social work program approved by the Council on Social Work Education and the Ohio Department of Education, and are licensed by the Ohio Counselor and Social Workers Board, will be awarded a Pupil Services License to practice school social work.

The Ohio School Social Work Association’s support of these standards ensure that teachers, administrators, pupil services directors, superintendents and school boards are clear as to our profession's competency and scope of practice.

We strive to provide support for all school social workers and offer ongoing, continuing educational opportunities to increase competency and mastery in the field.  As an organization, we endeavor to support and shape standards, competency and law regarding our professional licensure.

 

1. Teacher Education and Licensure Standards

As Adopted October 15, 1996

Effective January 1, 1998

Updated January 1, 2003

INTRODUCTION

In 1992, the State Board of Education established a thirty-four member Standards Review Committee, broadly representative of the education and lay communities, to consider needed revisions to develop a new system of teacher licensure that would be both performance-based and grounded in the knowledge and skills necessary for effective practice.

Two years later, the Standards Review Committee and the Ohio Teacher Education and Certification Advisory Commission finalized their work and submitted recommended standards to the State Board of Education. The State Board accepted the standards in principle by resolution in July 1994, and sought needed legislative changes from the General Assembly, enacted in Senate Bill 230.

After receiving written and oral public testimony on the proposed teacher standards, the board passed a resolution to adopt the standards in October 1996. The General Assembly passed a concurrent resolution of approval of the standards in November 1996. The legislative adoption of the resolution established the effective date of January 1, 1998, for Chapter 3301-24 of the Administrative Code (Teacher Education and Licensure Standards).

These new standards ensure that only those teachers who can perform the work will do the work. The standards emphasize performance — from the time a teacher enters the classroom throughout his or her career. The ultimate benefit of this new direction is a better education for Ohio’s students.

Rule 3301-24-05 LICENSURE

  1. The Professional Pupil Services Licensure, valid for five years for working with learners at all levels, shall be issued to an individual deemed to be of good moral character who has successfully completed either of the following:
    1. An approved program of preparation and who is recommended by the dean or head of teacher education, who has completed an examination prescribed by the State Board of Education, and who has evidenced the education and experience requirements specified:
      1. School social worker
        1. Master’s degree in social work, and
        2. One year of successful experience in a chartered school or school district under a professional license; or one year of social work experience under a current license issued by the Ohio Counselor and Social Worker Board; or a graduate level social work practicum of at least ten weeks in a chartered school or school district; and
        3. Current license to practice social work issued by the Ohio Counselor and Social Worker Board;

 

The Function and Focus of All Edudcational Services Personnel in Ohio's New Operational Standards

Rule 3301-35-01 Purpose and definitions

  1. Under section 3301.07 of the Revised Code, the purpose for adopting operating standards for Ohio elementary and secondary schools is to assure that all students are provided a general education of high quality. The operating standards in this Chapter of the Administrative Code establish specific expectations and provide additional guidelines for schools and districts to use in creating the best learning conditions for meeting student needs and achieving state and local educational goals and objectives. The operating standards in this Chapter incorporate principles of high-performing organizations to assist school districts and schools in continuous improvement and increased academic achievement.
  2. The following terms are defined as they are used in the rules of this Chapter:
    1. "Educational service personnel" means individuals employed by a school district in one or more of the following positions: counselor, library media specialist, school nurse, visiting teacher, social worker, or specialists in elementary art, music, or physical education.
    2. "School,"-with the exception of the term "school" as used in rule 3301-35-08 of this Chapter, means an environment organized for learning and chartered pursuant to these rules and section 3301.16 of the Revised Code to provide a community of students with the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge necessary to meet state and local performance objectives.

Rule 3301-35-05 FACULTY AND STAFF FOCUS

  1. A minimum of five full-time equivalent educational service personnel shall be employed districtwide for each one thousand students in the regular student population as defined in section 3317.023 of the Revised Code. Educational service personnel shall be assigned to at least five of the eight following areas: counselor, library media specialist, school nurse, visiting teacher, social worker and elementary art, music and physical education. Educational service personnel assigned to elementary art, music and physical education shall hold the special teaching certificate or multi-age license in the subject to which they are assigned.

Rule 3301-35-06 Educational programs and support

  1. Educational support services

    1. Student support services should be designed to support student progress toward meeting educational performance objectives contained in Ohio law, all applicable federal laws and locally developed course objectives. Student support services may include screening, assessment, intervention, monitoring of student progress, counseling, consultation, and access to library media and information technology programs designed to support student achievement. Instructional materials, including library media materials, technology, and other student support services shall:
      1. Support the district’s mission, educational goals, and strategic plan;
      2. Support the objectives specified in the course of study and the learning needs of students;
      3. Be current; and
      4. Be selected according to adopted policies and with the involvement of credentialed staff.
        1. ODE Approved School Social Work Licensure Programs

Please contact the following schools for info on ode approved programs

Case: Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences

The Ohio State University College of Social Work

Download the OSU FAQ