NASW Standards for School Social Work Services

Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
The Evolving Context of Education
Guiding Principles
1. Theoretical Training and Philosophy
2. Social Justice
3. Multitier Interventions
Standards
1. Ethics and Values
2. Qualifications
3. Assessment
4. Intervention
5. Decision Making and Practice Evaluation
6. Record Keeping
7. Workload Management
8. Use of Technology
9. Professional Development
10. Cultural Competence
11. Interdisciplinary Leadership and Collaboration
12. Advocacy
13. School Safety
14. Emergency and Disaster Preparedness and Response
15. Confidentiality
Appendix A. Administrative Structure and Support
Appendix B. National Resources
References

Acknowledgements

This revision of the school social work standards could not have been completed without support from several individuals. It is with heartfelt appreciation that we thank the Task Force for School Social Work Standards members and cochairs, Michael Cappiello and Gwen R. Bouie-Haynes, for their steadfast and steady leadership in the completion of this document. We give our deepest appreciation to Janice Harrison, executive assistant, for her unwavering technical support, and we thank Mirean Coleman, NASW director of clinical practice, for leading us along the pathway to publication.

We recognize Mildred “Mit” Joyner, the immediate past president of NASW Board of Directors, in memoriam, as she passed away before this document was completed under her leadership and board tenure.

Introduction

Ideally, schools are meant to be the cornerstone of our democracy. Optimally, all schools should be designed to educate students to become active and thriving citizens of our nation. School social workers aim to promote equitable education and opportunities that elevate students’ mental, physical, emotional, and societal well-being. This involves increasing resources, education for educators and parents, and supporting school districts and cities that fund schools. It also requires the active removal of barriers placed by school and society so that each school can be a welcoming, caring, supportive, challenging, and uplifting setting. School social workers aspire to eliminate systemic racism and build permanent opportunity structures in schools that currently have few. School social workers function under the assumption that interventions need to be empowering, culturally appropriate, data driven, and catered to the needs and ideas of each local community. The educator, parent, student, and community voices and partnerships in all that we do are the foundation of our work in schools.

These are the vision and goals behind social work values that support high-quality education for all students in the United States and globally. Social work views equitable and high-quality education as a central part of the neighborhood, community, family life, and cultural development.

School social workers have been described as the critical link between schools, homes, communities, and student outcomes. The school social worker’s role has continued to evolve dramatically over the years. The key concept for school social workers is change. We experience and respond to change in the world around schools, students, and the community. Many descriptors such as “critical link,” “integral link,” “providers of service,” “educational obstacle movers,” and “essential workers” have been used to describe who we are and what we do.

The role of the school social worker continues to evolve under the pressure of changes in society. The variation of roles includes social–emotional needs; resource connections; and needs to enhance the well-being of the students, the staff, and the community we live in. The following ethical principles and core values, referenced in the NASW (2021) Code of Ethics, serve to guide the work of school social workers:

• service
• social justice
• dignity and worth of a person
• importance of human relationships
• behaving in a trustworthy manner
• practicing within our areas of competence as we develop and enhance our professional expertise

NASW periodically revises the school social work standards to meet the changing needs of school social workers, the clients served, and local education agencies. NASW has revised these standards to reflect the values of our profession and current practice trends in enrollment through graduation.

The Evolving Context of Education

Since the publication of the previous school social work standards in 2012, the landscape on educational structures has radically changed. With the vast expansion of charter schools, vouchers, private schools, magnets, and specialty schools, public school has become more specialized. The funding of special education and services for specific vulnerable groups has increased and become more prominent in many states. At present there are a tapestry of different programs and approaches, often philosophically opposite each other, that may exist in the same school. National and state laws are now often conflicting and send different messages to students and school staff. The role of the school social worker has become more important in this context. School social work’s ecological perspective and call for coherency in programs and resources that align with community and school needs form a needed voice that can counteract the vast fragmentation currently evident in the field. School social workers have an optimal view of how the school fits into a healthy community, family, and region.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA; P.L. 114-95) is the foundation law for K–12. ESSA builds on progress made possible by educational efforts, community involvement, parents/caregivers, and students in our educational system. This law focuses on successfully providing pathways for all students in college and careers. Strategies for successful implementation reject the overuse of standardized tests and one-size-fits-all mandates on our schools and ensure that our education system will prepare every child to graduate from high school ready for college or career. ESSA provides more children access to high-quality state preschool programs.

Since the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142) in 1975, the predecessor legislation to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; P.L. 108-446), the federal government has played a prominent role in encouraging the principle of educational equality for children with disabilities through a permanent, broadscale federal assistance program. IDEA is a grant statute that provides federal funding for the education of children with disabilities and requires, as a condition for the receipt of such funds, that states agree to provide a free appropriate public education (i.e., specially designed instruction provided at no cost to the parents that meets the needs of a child with a disability) to every eligible child.

School social workers share responsibilities of removing barriers and guiding schools to empower and support students to achieve academic, supportive outcomes that prepare students for success in college and careers. Professional school social workers can utilize multitiered approaches to service students in groups or individually. The approaches should consider the “whole child” framework, which incorporates the child’s strengths, weaknesses, disabilities, race, culture, beliefs, past or present trauma, and academic performance. Public education is essential to promote the total development of the child intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically. To nurture the full potential, social workers in public schools ensure equal opportunity and preparation. Schools have a responsibility to identify students with disabilities and challenges early and provide support in accordance with federal legislation in school settings.

The multitiered approach requires effective communication among school personnel, families, and communities that is vital to reach the goals for each student. Through communication, coordination by social workers serves as the critical link to efficient and effective use of resources, and the attainment of goals for each student. Strengthening the relationship among the family, school, and community is the fundamental principle of any educational policy. NASW encourages linking the school to community resources as sound public policy and encourages further policy development focused on bringing schools, families, and communities together for mutual support and problem solving.

Guiding Principles

School social work is a specialized practice area of the social work profession, firmly based in social work ethics and values. School social workers actively help school systems meet expectations of federal, state, and local mandates with an intentional focus on those designed to promote equal educational opportunity, social justice, and the removal of barriers to learning. School social work takes a unique perspective and is grounded in three guiding principles, which impact the practice of the school social work professionals:

1. Theoretical Training and Philosophy:
School social workers are trained in theoretical approaches that recognize the impact of environmental factors on an individual’s life, focus on individual strengths, and consider the whole child when assessing and intervening with a student. These perspectives enable school social workers to take a holistic approach, considering physical, social, economic, and environmental factors that may cause or contribute to barriers to a student’s overall success. This theoretical stance drives the school social workers to engage with family members in a culturally responsive way to assess environmental challenges or needs to create optimal circumstances for the student’s academic, social, emotional, and behavioral success. School social workers understand the value of meaningful helping relationships and building connections as the link between the home, school, and community.

2. Social Justice:
School social workers promote equitable educational opportunities for all students. School social workers analyze key data and challenge policies that contribute to or maintain inequities in educational access. Discrepancies in standardized measures of achievement and behavior indicate that critical work is still needed to address inequities. An ecological perspective, the hallmark of social work education, is essential for identifying resources for addressing these disparities.

It is important for the school social worker to collaborate with and facilitate collaboration among students, parents, community members, administration, teachers, and school leadership to identify ways to intervene and support negatively impacted students and subgroups.

3. Multitier Interventions:
The multitier model includes three tiers relating to prevention and intervention.

Tier 1 refers to evidence-informed, schoolwide prevention programs and practices that teach positive behaviors, promote social–emotional development, and ensure a school climate conducive to learning. Tier 1 programs and practices are implemented by all staff in the school setting. Ongoing data-informed decision making ensures that Tier 1 interventions are effective.

Tier 2 refers to the use of evidence-informed, small group, and short-term interventions focused on improving early academic and social–emotional engagement to reduce problematic behavior. For example, these interventions could target conflict resolution, social skills, mental health needs, and short-term crisis situations that do not require more intensive Tier 3 interventions. Based on data demonstrating a lack of response to Tier 1 interventions, students are referred for the additional support offered at Tier 2. These strategies should be efficient to apply and effective in terms of producing rapid improvement in students’ ability to learn and be successful in school settings.

Tier 3 refers to the use of evidence-informed individual and long-term interventions. Tier 3 interventions are provided to students who have serious academic, behavioral, or social–emotional problems and who did not respond to data-driven Tier 1 or Tier 2 interventions. The goal of this tier is to reduce the negative impact of the condition on a student’s functioning. Tier 3 interventions involve intensive individualized strategies that are implemented for extended periods of time and frequently involve referrals to community agencies. Data from Tier 3 interventions may indicate the need to consider eligibility for special education services.

School social workers work at all three tiers of intervention, not only providing direct services to children who require basic needs or exhibit challenging behavior, but also leading prevention efforts that support children through building the capacity of family members, other school staff, and community agencies to improve student outcomes.

Standards

Standard 1. Ethics and Values

School social workers shall adhere to the ethics and values of the social work profession and shall use the NASW (2021) Code of Ethics to guide ethical practice while understanding the unique aspects of school social work practice and the needs of the students, families, educational settings, and communities they serve.

Interpretation
School social workers shall demonstrate core values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. In addition, school social workers shall adhere to the professional ethical responsibilities delineated in the NASW (2021) Code of Ethics. School social workers shall have a working knowledge of revisions to the code as they are published. School social workers shall have knowledge of local, state, and federal policies related to school social work practice. When conflicts arise among competing expectations, school social workers shall use the NASW Code of Ethics as the primary tool in their decision making as well as seek legal consultation to inform their decisions.

Standard 2. Qualifications

School social workers shall meet the provisions for professional practice set by NASW and their respective state department of education and possess knowledge and understanding basic to the social work profession as well as the local education system.

Interpretation
School social workers shall have a graduate degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE; 2022). An MSW degree is the recommended entry-level qualification for a school social worker position. As a distinct specialty within the social work profession, school social work requires specialized knowledge and understanding of education systems, which should be provided by social work education programs. The school social worker shall actively seek this specialized training when the CSWE-accredited program does not provide it. School social workers shall be licensed by state boards of social work and certified through state departments of education when available.

School social workers shall have specialized knowledge and an understanding of historical and current perspectives of public school education at the local, state, and national levels, including educational reform and legislation. School social workers shall also be knowledgeable about evidence-informed approaches to teaching and learning that promote positive academic outcomes for students.

Standard 3. Assessment

School social workers shall conduct assessments of students, parents/guardians/families, classrooms, schools, and community resources with the goal of improving student social, emotional, and academic learning outcomes.

Interpretation
School social workers shall possess skills in systematic assessment, data gathering, and interpretation at multiple levels using a variety of methods (for example, interview, direct observation, standardized instruments, surveys, focus groups) to assess the needs, characteristics, and interactions of students, families, and school personnel. School social workers shall conduct reliable and valid assessments of students and organizations to inform the design of interventions to remove barriers to learning. Assessments shall use ecological perspectives and functional approaches to enhance understanding of barriers to learning and the interventions that foster improvement of student well-being and academic progress.

Standard 4. Intervention

School social workers shall use assessment as the starting point of intervention within a multitiered system of supports.

Interpretation
School social workers shall remain current with school-based intervention and prevention research and use evidence-informed practices in service delivery. Interventions shall be designed to enhance positive educational experiences and involve the student, family or other caregivers, all school personnel, and community partners as appropriate. Interventions shall be based on assessments relevant to the concerns in the referral and take into consideration systems and culture. Interventions shall include goals, objectives, methods of evaluation, and outcome criteria. Interventions shall be applied within the multitier framework and address the ecologies (for example, home, school, community) most relevant to the problem being addressed. School social workers shall work to ensure that all students and families have equitable access to interventions.

Standard 5. Decision Making and Practice Evaluation

School social workers shall use data to guide service delivery and to evaluate their practice regularly to determine if services and supports need to be faded, continued, added, or increased.

Interpretation
School social workers shall collect, analyze, synthesize, and disseminate data related to their practice in accordance with local, state, federal, and ethical guidelines. The frequency, rigor, and reliability of data collection methods should align with the intensity of the intervention and the stakes of the decisions being made with the data. Social workers shall use multiple data points to evaluate the effectiveness and fidelity of interventions as well as determine whether interventions are matched to student need and should continue, modify, or terminate.

Methods used to evaluate social work practice shall be assessed at least annually to ensure that objectives, activities, and measured outcomes are aligned with the local education agency’s goals and social work standards and ethical practice.

Standard 6. Record Keeping

School social workers shall maintain accurate data and records that are relevant to assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of school social work services.

Interpretation
School social workers shall maintain timely, accurate, and confidential records that document school social work services, demonstrate outcomes, and promote accountability to the local education agency and community. Records shall be maintained according to federal, state, and local laws.

Standard 7. Workload Management

School social workers shall organize their workloads to fulfill their responsibilities and clarify their critical roles within the educational mission of the school or district in which they work.

Interpretation
School social workers shall manage their work in an efficient, effective, ethical, and sensitive manner. Priorities for practice shall be developed collaboratively between the school social worker, supervisor, administration, and Board of Education.

Priorities shall be based on assessing social, emotional, academic, and behavioral needs of all students and establishing a flexible, multitiered service delivery model best suited to meeting these evolving needs. This model should be selected using evidence-based research, availability of resources, and time management.

School social workers shall also proactively interact with and provide services to the greater school community. A combination of counseling services may include working individually and in groups with students, families, caregivers, and staff; taking on leadership roles to enhance school culture and climate; and responding to schoolwide emergencies.

Standard 8. Use of Technology

School social workers shall use technology to enhance communication; to design and deliver services; to obtain, manage, and store information; and to demonstrate accountability to students and families in the school setting.

Interpretation
School social workers shall stay up to date with and use available technological tools to help conduct needs assessments, facilitate communication, and demonstrate accountability. School social workers shall ensure responsible use of technology to fulfill their obligations to students and families. The purpose and intent of technology use in school social work practice is to promote student achievement and overall well-being, to enhance the provision of services, and to efficiently manage the workload. Every effort shall be taken to ensure that the use of technology reflects the values, ethics, and mission of the profession. Social workers shall consult relevant standards in the NASW (2021) Code of Ethics and the NASW, ASWB, CSWE, & CSWA Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice (NASW et al., 2017) for guidance (especially related to competence, informed consent, conflicts of interest, privacy and confidentiality, respect, dishonesty, fraud, deception, misrepresentation, solicitations, private conduct, and acknowledging credit).

Equitable access to technology is critical to preparing students to develop key skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity to thrive in a complex and rapidly changing world. School social workers shall work to address barriers to student access to technology. This is one of many ways in which school social workers may support future readiness for all students. Technology is evolving. School social workers may gain invaluable insights from renowned artificial intelligence (AI) experts to understand the transformative potential of AI on students.

Standard 9. Professional Development

School social workers shall engage in professional development to provide students, families, schools, and communities with the highest-quality, culturally informed services.

Interpretation
School social workers shall adhere to the NASW (2021) Code of Ethics and follow state regulations regarding social work practice and continuing education requirements. School social workers shall access supervision and seek consultation to increase their professional expertise in a host setting.

School social workers shall participate in professional development activities to strengthen their professional knowledge and skills, to maintain high standards of practice, and to keep current with new developments in the field of school social work. School social workers shall increase the knowledge base of school social work and advance the profession by providing professional development in the field of school social work and supervising school social work interns when possible.

Standard 10. Cultural Competence

School social workers shall ensure that students and their families are provided services within the context of multicultural understanding and competence.

Interpretation
School social workers shall demonstrate self-awareness, cultural humility, knowledge, and practice skills consistent with the NASW (2015) Standards and Indicators for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice. School social workers shall continue to develop specialized knowledge and understanding about client groups they serve and make use of culturally appropriate resources. This understanding shall be applied in a manner that communicates respect, values diversity and self-determination, and results in a positive school climate. School social workers shall use evidence-informed practices, skills, and techniques that reflect the role of culture in the school setting. School social workers shall recognize barriers related to cultural issues within the local education agency while advocating for an environment that honors and values the cultures within the school community.

Standard 11. Interdisciplinary Leadership and Collaboration

School social workers shall share leadership in developing a positive school climate. They shall also work collaboratively with school administration, school personnel, family members, and community partners to increase accessibility to and effectiveness of all services.

Interpretation
School social workers shall serve as interdisciplinary collaborators in promoting a positive school climate. School social workers shall provide a holistic perspective to students’ learning needs in the context of their home, school, and community. School social workers shall partner with a network of parents/caregivers, school personnel, allied health staff, and community members to link needed resources and remove barriers to learning. School social workers shall also provide leadership and collaborate in the implementation of equitable school-based mental health programs that promote student and staff well-being and positive academic outcomes.

Standard 12. Advocacy

School social workers shall engage in advocacy that seeks to ensure that all students have equal access to education and services to enhance their academic progress, in particular:

• Safety: Students will feel safe in the school environment.
• Inclusivity: Students will feel respected in the school environment with respect to race, religion, ethnicity, mental and physical abilities, immigrant status, gender, and sexual preference.
• Equity: Students are entitled to equitable access to education and all school-related services to enhance their social, emotional, and academic learning.

Interpretation
School social workers shall advocate for students and their families. This advocacy includes helping them gain access to and effectively use formal and informal community resources that enable families to self-advocate.

In addition to advocating within the school environment, school social workers shall be advocates for students and families in the community, understanding that school success is contingent on meeting concrete medical/psychological needs. School social workers will help provide pathways to formal and informal community resources that enable families to self-advocate and enhance opportunity and quality of life.

School social workers, as systems’ change agents, shall identify areas of need that are not being addressed by the local education agency and community and shall work to create services that address these needs. School social workers shall collaborate with community agencies and resources to help provide the necessary services, regardless of a family’s ability to pay for services.

School social workers shall be informed about court decisions, legislation, rules and regulations, and policies and procedures that affect school social work practice, to effectively advocate for students.

Standard 13. School Safety

School social workers shall provide a pivotal role in creating and executing a schoolwide safety plan and provide direct and indirect services that relate to all safety concerns of students, families, and educators. This social work role could be at the school, district, or county level.

Interpretation
These safety concerns include but are not limited to cyber, verbal, and physical harm or threats; peer-related bullying and harassment; hate language and behaviors; community violence/stressors; personal/familial crises; student suicides; and national issues such as school shootings, all of which impact the ability of students to feel safe at school.

School social workers shall serve either as a leader or as an integral part of a schoolwide safety team that has the responsibility of coming up with prevention strategies for the school, school district, or county. Social workers shall play a central role in coordinating, leading, or collaborating with threat assessment teams at the school and/or district level. These include but are not limited to school safety prevention-oriented activities such as social–emotional learning approaches, positive school climate strategies, and welcoming school methods. School social work approaches examine the contexts of safety in a school. This could include monitoring of schoolwide discipline practices, careful analyses of potentially unsafe school spaces, and safety drills for different types of emergencies.

School social workers shall provide direct and indirect mental health services to all students, parents/other caregivers, and educators around the issues of feeling safe and supported at school. School social workers shall work in an interdisciplinary team to collaborate on the development of functional behavioral assessments and behavioral intervention plans.

Standard 14. Emergency and Disaster Preparedness and Response

School social workers shall be prepared for changes in the needs of the school community they serve and how services will be delivered when a natural disaster, (public) emergency, and/or pandemic occurs.

Interpretation
School social workers shall have knowledge of and contribute to the emergency operations plan of their school or community setting. School social workers shall address barriers to service delivery, for example when services need to be delivered in alternative ways such as home visits or remote platforms. When emergencies occur during school, school social workers shall be prepared for how to address the safety and needs of themselves and those in the school community. School social workers shall engage in advocacy and collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies about the needs of the school community impacted by emergency/ disaster/pandemic.

School social workers shall be prepared to address the numerous needs of the school community that arise during or as the result of an emergency, natural disaster, or pandemic, such as basic needs (food, shelter, safety), mental health, support for teachers and staff, grief/trauma, and advocating for equitable access to resources and education.

Responses and interventions shall address not only the immediate needs of those in the school community, but also the long-term effects that these events can have on students, families, and staff.

Standard 15. Confidentiality

School social workers shall uphold the confidentiality of the students and families they serve in all formats (verbal, written, and electronic communication) according to federal, state, and local regulations, as well as school district policies and the NASW (2021) Code of Ethics.

Interpretation
School social workers shall inform students, families, colleagues, and other stakeholders of the limits of confidentiality.

School social workers shall obtain valid consent before sharing confidential information. However, the safety of students, families, and the school community must be prioritized over confidentiality. Situations involving suspected abuse, neglect, or suicidal or homicidal ideation or intent are the foremost reasons for breaching confidentiality.

In situations when the school social worker has ethical obligations of confidentiality to more than one client at the same time, the school social worker shall strive to maintain the confidentiality of all clients.

Appendix A. Administrative Structure and Support

Qualifications and Title

An MSW degree is the recommended entry-level qualification for school social workers. Local education agencies shall ensure that school social workers have an MSW degree from a program accredited by CSWE. However, should the local education agency employ school social workers whose highest degree is a BSW, an MSW-level social worker should provide supervision for them.

Salaries and job classifications of school social workers should be commensurate with their education, experience, and responsibilities and be comparable to similarly qualified specialized instructional support personnel employed by the local education agency.

“School social worker” is the position title that correctly identifies the educational background, profession, and function of a social worker employed by a local education agency. Other titles—such as “attendance officer,” “pupil personnel worker,” “home and school visitor,” “home–school coordinator,” “visiting teacher,” “family collaborative worker,” “family specialist,” or “home family specialist”—project incomplete and misleading notions of school social workers’ qualifications and functions and shall not be used.

Roles of State Education Agencies/ Credentialing/ Licensing Boards

State departments of education or other state entities that license or certify educational personnel should regulate school social work practice. Social work boards also regulate social work practice in each state. School social workers shall familiarize themselves with regulations and statutes that govern them.

State departments of education should support a state consultant position to oversee quality assurance of school social work practice. A state consultant should have an MSW degree, have direct experience as a school social worker, and be knowledgeable about current trends in school social work practice and policy. The state consultant should work closely with state, regional, and national professional organizations that support school social work practice and are knowledgeable about the field of school social work.

Roles of Local Education Agencies

Administrative Support.
The administrative structure of the local education agency should delineate clear lines of support and accountability for the school social work program and provide for optimum use of the school social workers’ knowledge and skills. Realistic job descriptions, working conditions, and workload standards are essential for effective practice. Regular review of goals, objectives, accomplishments, and accountability procedures of the school social work program is also necessary. Designation of a lead social worker to help promote appropriate support and accountability is recommended.

Supervision.
The administrative structure established by the local education agency should provide for appropriate school social work supervision. The local education agency is responsible for administrative and professional supervision to ensure high-quality services. Supervision of school social work programs should be provided by credentialed and experienced MSW-level school social workers.

Job Tasks.
The goals, objectives, and tasks of a school social work program should be clearly and directly related to the mission of the local education agency and the educational process. School social workers are expected to support and help facilitate educational reforms and initiatives. Some examples are those that emphasize multitier prevention, early intervention, parent education and involvement, service integration, partnerships, and support for student transitions. The local education agency should have position descriptions that appropriately describe the roles and responsibilities of school social workers and should use a performance evaluation tool that is specific to the practice of school social work.

Work Setting.
The local education agency should provide a professional work setting that allows school social workers to practice effectively. School social workers require basic work resources to ensure privacy and confidentiality for students and families. These basic resources include an office, clerical support, current information technology, and an adequate budget for professional materials, supplies, and activities. Adequate, confidential space at each school site for meeting with students, families, and local education agency personnel is essential.

Professional Development.
The local education agency should provide opportunities for school social workers to engage in professional development activities that support school social work practice and continued licensure/certification. Funding support and an adequate number of professional leave days enable school social workers to strengthen and broaden skills required to better serve students, families, the local education agency, and the community.

Leadership.
The local education agency should involve school social workers in developing and coordinating partnerships with community health, mental health, and social services providers linked with or based at school sites to ensure that these services promote student educational success. Because of their extensive knowledge of community resources, school social workers play a critical role in facilitating the provision of community services in the local education agency and help orient community providers to school climate, culture, and structure and to the laws and regulations governing practice in educational settings.

Ratios
The local education agency should establish and implement a school social worker/student population ratio to ensure reasonable workload expectations. The local education agency should provide school social work services at a level that is sufficient to address the nature and extent of student needs. Appropriate ratios for school social work staff to students depend on the characteristics and needs of the student population to be served, as well as other resources in the local education agency and community available to address these needs. Each local or state education agency should establish adequate levels and types of school social work services on the basis of comprehensive needs assessment data.

Appendix B. National Resources