A step forward in developing the next competence assessment
Practice Analysis Task Force concludes its work
The development of the next iteration of competence assessments for social work licensing, slated for launch in 2026, took a major step forward when the 2022–2024 Practice Analysis Task Force held its final meeting on September 6 and 7 in Reston, Virginia.
We are grateful to every member of this task force. Because of their expert guidance and their generosity in sharing their experiences, the profession will continue to have a valid and fair entry-level competence assessment for the future of social work.
The practice analysis
The analysis of the practice of social work is at the core of the development process for the competence assessments, providing validity to the content tested. Testing standards require that licensing exams update their content approximately every five to seven years through a process of surveying licensed members of the profession to determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for entry to practice. ASWB convenes the Practice Analysis Task Force to guide the development of the content for the social work licensing exams through a process facilitated by the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO).
ASWB reenvisioned the 2024 survey as the Social Work Census. This inclusive online survey combined a robust workforce study with the customary practice analysis to gather demographic data on social workers as well as knowledge and task statement ratings. Led by the Social Work Workforce Coalition, a group of leaders of major social work organizations, the Census received responses from more than 50,000 participants, with more than 25,000 filling out the entire survey. The results will help provide an accurate picture of who social workers are and what they do. Sign up to stay informed about the workforce study findings at swcensus.org.
The task force
The 2022–2024 Practice Analysis Task Force consisted of 32 social workers from 21 jurisdictions. At their first meeting, they participated in a pilot version of the Community Conversations, a project conducted by HumRRO to gather qualitative data on the exam experience.
Their second meeting, held in 2023, focused on collaboratively determining which knowledge, skills, and abilities statements from the current version of the social work licensing exams should be retained and what new statements should be added to the practice analysis survey.
During their third and final meeting, task force members reviewed the ratings that the knowledge and task statements received on the practice analysis section of the Social Work Census. They then used the importance and frequency ratings gathered from survey respondents, along with their own subject matter expertise, to finalize their recommendation for the statements to be included on the next content outline. They also used the practice analysis data to finalize their recommendation for the weighting of the major content areas on the blueprint for the next version of the competence assessments.
“This particular task force has set a new bar,” said ASWB CEO Stacey Hardy-Chandler. “Not only is it the largest Practice Analysis Task Force in the association’s history, its members have served longer than any other Practice Analysis Task Force.” By increasing the size of the Practice Analysis Task Force, ASWB included more voices and increased the diversity of input into the exam development process.
The members of the task force found their experience educational and empowering. “I have a greater understanding of the process involved to create a licensure exam,” said one participant. “I feel … that we were powerful in those moments.”
Another task force member described the care taken by meeting facilitators from HumRRO to ensure that “each step of the process was contemplated with care — and planned for — in order to actualize the outcomes/goals. My respect for the role of ASWB cannot be captured.”
Building a competence assessment for the future of social work
The conclusion of the task force’s work means that the next steps in building the competence assessment for social work licensing may move forward. They include finalizing the content outlines, setting a passing standard, and beginning delivery of the new assessments in 2026.
“We are grateful to every member of this task force,” said Lavina Harless, ASWB senior director of examination services. “Because of their expert guidance and their generosity in sharing their experiences, the profession will continue to have a valid and fair entry-level competence assessment for the future of social work.”