Certification
School Social Work is an exciting profession that is growing in our state. If you are interested in becoming a school social worker in Wisconsin, you need to obtain a school social work license from the Department of Public Instruction. The main routes to getting a Tier II School Social Work license are:
1) Completing a MSW program from an approved Wisconsin school social work preparation program (or a comparable approved school social work program in another state) including completing a practicum in a school setting
2) Obtaining a Tier I School Social Work License with Stipulations if you have not completed all the requirements for a Tier II license (and meet other criteria.) This allows you to work in a school while completing required learning to obtain your full Tier II license.
Find more information, links, and resources about these two routes below.
MSW preparation programs specializing in school social work
The typical way to become school social worker is to complete a Masters of Social Work degree at a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) approved program that provides specific coursework and training in school social work practice. School social work training programs also require students to complete a practicum, or paid work experience, in an educational setting with a field supervisor to demonstrate competency in various areas of practice.
In addition to generalist social work coursework including psychopathology, social work theory and practice, human development, social policy, organizational leadership, and statistics, school social work graduate students must demonstrate knowledge and skill in the school-setting specific to:
- social welfare and educational policy,
- social work values and ethics,
- social and economic justice and populations at risk,
- systematic assessment of individuals, families, schools, and community and their interactions,
- effective prevention and intervention with individuals, families, schools and communities,
- human behavior and the social environment,
- diversity, and
- research.
Description taken from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
There are currently four MSW programs in Wisconsin that offer approved school social work preparation programs: The University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The different programs offer different options for in-person, online, and part-time program completion to meet your personal needs. Find more detailed information on each of these programs in the links below.
Upon successful completion of all university program requirements, individuals are eligible to apply for a Tier II provisional license through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and are able to work in schools as a school social worker. After working for 3 years or 6 semesters in a school setting, school social workers are eligible to apply for a Tier III lifetime license.
Links:
Quick Guide to University Programs and Contacts
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction School Social Work Licensing Information
License Application Directions for Pupil Service Professionals Prepared in Wisconsin (Department of Public Instruction)
Post-Graduate licensure for MSWs with different backgrounds
Did you complete a Masters of Social Work program in a non-school area of social work practice, or at an institution not approved to endorse candidates in school social work licensure? Do you hold a clinical social work license, such as a APSW or LCSW? You may be eligible to receive a school social worker license through one of the Tier 1 license with stipulations pathways.
What is a Tier I one-year license with stipulations?
A Tier I license with stipulations is issued by the Department of Public Instruction. It enables professionals with an MSW and additional qualifications to work for one year in a school while completing required coursework and learning ("stipulations") before earning full licensure (Tier II.)
Am I eligible to apply for a Tier I license with stipulations?
For the most up to date and accurate information on licensure, we recommend reviewing the DPI School Social Work Licensing page.
If the master’s degree program you completed was not an approved school social work preparation program, you may be eligible for a Tier 1 one-year license with stipulations. You will be required to complete educational/professional development stipulations related to school social work in Wisconsin before earning your full Tier II license. See the links at the bottom for more information on University programs that can help you meet these stipulations.
If your license from another state is classified as being part of a school social worker training program, you may be eligible to apply directly for the Tier II provisional license through the out-of-state pathway to license. If you qualify, there may be additional stipulations from Wisconsin state statute and administrative rule that apply. Find more information on the out-of-state pathway here.
If you are a clinically trained social worker who has a master’s degree in social work and a valid social work certificate or license issued by the social worker section of the Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling and Social Work Examining Board at the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, you are eligible for a Tier I license with stipulations under Wisconsin Administrative Code PI 34.028(e), clinically trained social worker pathway. To earn Tier II licensure, you will be required to show you have completed training in specific topics outlined in the administrative rule and on pages 3-4 of this licensing bulletin.
How do I complete the educational requirements of a Tier 1 license with stipulations?
There are currently four University programs that provide online coursework to allow working professionals to complete their educational requirements while working in a school. The University programs provide students with an in-depth learning experience on all of the required topics, as well as providing the support of a mentor-supervisor as a professional resource. Find more information on each of these University programs below.
Individuals who hold a MSW and a clinically trained (APSW, LCSW) license are able to meet some of their stipulated requirements through approved professional development. Find more information on pages 3-4 of this licensing bulletin.
If you feel that you have already completed coursework that covers any of your required stipulations, you can provide a copy of a stipulation letter from the college or university where you believe the content was provided. Find more information about this process on Page 4 of this licensing bulletin.
Links:
Quick Guide to University Programs and Contacts
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction School Social Work Licensing Information
Wisconsin Social Work Credential Information
A DPI school social work license is required to fulfill the job description of a school social worker, though a clinical license issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) is not. Therefore, some school social workers choose to hold both a clinical and school license, and others hold only the school license.
For information related to obtaining or maintaining a social work license or certificate, visit the DSPS Social Worker licensure website
