State Level Certification

The Arizona Department of Education- Certification Office offers Standard School Social Worker Pre Kindergarten-12th Grade Certification. To qualify for a SSW Certificate, you need a Master’s degree or more advanced degree in social work from an accredited institution or completion of a Board Approved school social worker program.  In addition to an application and application fee, applicants need to meet one of the following criteria listed below.

Option A: Internship or Experience (ONE of the following)
* 6 Semester hours of practicum in Social Work in a school
*Completion of ONE-Year full-time experience as a social worker in a setting which primarily serves students in preschool through grade 12. (This includes community mental health, or social service agencies.)

Option B: Out-of State Certification -Holding a valid, comparable School Social Worker Certificate in another state and is in good standing with that State

For more information, please contact the Arizona Department of Education Certification Office.

School Social Worker PreKindergarten – 12 Certificate Information

SSWAA National Certification

The School Social Work Association of America is a non-profit, professional membership organization that offers National Certification for School Social Workers. National certification does not replace entry-level certification into the field offered by most state departments of education. Instead, it is advanced certification that indicates that a school social worker has mastered competencies described in the National School Social Work Practice model.

The School Social Work Practice Model describes the skills and services needed for the delivery of high-quality social work services in schools. The model is designed to promote consistency, to guide graduate education, credentialing, and professional practice, as well as the evaluation of services. The model further empowers school social workers with a coherent framework to guide advocacy efforts and service delivery decisions.

Adherence to the model is essential for qualification for national certification. National Certified School Social Worker ™ (NCSSW) is awarded through SSWAA to identify school social work professionals who have voluntarily sought and obtained an advanced certification that demonstrates mastery of competencies of the National School Social Work Practice Model.

For more information, please visit

https://www.sswaa.org/national-certification