Digitizing The Future of Social Work

Change is here...Change is Now!!

...but is it enough?

Let's dive, find out...and talk DEETS'.

Hey Social workers. The bain of every test-taker/licensed professional may be glad to know that ASWB will NOT renew its decade-long contract with Pearson Vue. And will transition its services to PSI test centers.

Every social worker knows when testing at the Pearson Vue testing centers, the operators are intrinsically mean, the Gestapo of water bottles, and wardens of your personal items.

Okay...maybe this was my experience alone. So, I won't project on you, gentle readers. But, by golly, I never felt so depraved in my whole life. But I digress.

Starting January 2, 2024, all tests will be conducted exclusively at PSI test centers. I would highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the PSI testing platform. While exam registrations through ASWB will still be open, no testing slots will be accessible from December 16 to December 31. For candidates who register on or after November 1, you'll be scheduled to take your exam at a PSI test center, starting January 2, 2024.

So, what may have provoked the decision to transition to PSI?

For years, ASWB has endured criticism for generating exams with claims that they are racially biased, followed by insinuations concerning the price tag (of $240 - $300 per exam) heard from several complaints/editorials/blogs/tik tok videos from past test-takers. Several grievances have prompted a meta-study to determine if there is any legitimacy to the complaints

According to Change.org, a 13,000+ signatures was signed out of protest by social workers for social workers requesting ASWB to 'End Discriminatory Social Work Licensing Exams'. The August 13, 2022 petition prompted the attention of the ASWB. The results yielded startling findings. The outcomes determined that the first-time pass rates of the ASWB clinical licensure exam are as follows: Black (45%), Indigenous (63%), Latine/Hispanic (65%), and White (84%)—a difference of nearly 20-40% for white test-takers. These numbers are grossly disproportionate and demonstrate a failure in the exam’s design.

Thus, the expectation is that the "partnership with PSI test centers will help ASWB drive practical initiatives that leverage both organizations’ focus on transparency in test outcomes, accessibility, and inclusivity".

Both ASWB and PSI organizations have agreed to launch a new scholarship program and provide online testing options.

ASWB has made the declaration to offer test-takers the option for scholarships for those having to retake the exam, as well as providing remote test-taking options. PSI will begin administering the social work licensing examinations at its 475 test centers across the United States and Canada on January 2, 2024, with a remote testing option being made available through secure online proctoring later in the year.

I am excited about these new changes.

Maybe now, fellow social workers will have a better test-taking experience as opposed to praying that the "odds forever be in thy favor" like test-takers are Hunger Games contestants.