School social workers provide a framework for students to learn, grow and develop in the academic setting. School social workers are trained and licensed specifically in the field. School social workers use home, school and the community to help school districts, teachers, families and students achieve academic success. This network is intended to provide support, resources, and opportunities to connect with fellow school social workers. School social workers employ a wide variety of practices in their work such as case management, crisis intervention, community education, and more.

The NASW-NC School Social Work Practice Area Network is a place for North Carolina NASW members to learn about and discuss issues in the field of School Social Work. This Practice Area Network is also a place for NASW-NC members to network and connect with other social workers working within this community.

If you have questions, need support with working in schools, or to share articles and resources related to school social work, please email membership.naswnc@socialworkers.org.

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NASW-NC Advocacy

General Resources

NASW Resources

North Carolina Resources

NASW-NC has spent years advocating for the hiring of more school social workers to address caseload ratios, increase school social worker pay including the restoration of paying master level social workers at the master's pay level and hiring a statewide School Social Work Consultant at the North Carolina Department of Instruction. Below is a timeline of NASW-NC Advocacy efforts. To keep up with all of the most recent news about restoring Master's level pay, please sign up for our Advocacy Alerts.

• March 27, 2025: HB523 School Social Workers Masters Pay introduced in North Carolina Legislature

• March 10, 2025: NC Health Schools recommends master pay for school social workers

• March 2-8, 2025: Governor Stein Proclaims School Social Work Week!

• February 9, 2025: NC State Board of Education recommends restoring masters pay for school social workers.

• NASW-NC's 2025 Legislative Agenda includes restoring masters pay for North Carolina School Social Workers.

• May 2023: NC Senate Releases Budget and it does not include restoring Master's level pay for school social workers. Read Executive Director, Valerie Arendt's update here. NASW-NC will continue to advocate to the conference committee members to reinstate Master's level pay.

• April 2023: The NC Senate Senate Bill 524 - School Social Workers/Master's Pay passed its first reading in the Senate and is now in the Appropriations/Base Budget Committee. Representative Cotham introduced an identical bill this week in the House HB 762-School Social Workers/Master's Pay.  

• March 3-9, 2024: School Social Work Week!

• March 2023: School Social Work Week Advocacy Update

• January 2023: After years of advocacy,  North Carolina State Board of Education requests the state budget to include $100M for more school social workers and $10M in pay increases for master's level pay social workers.
  

• April 2022: NASW-NC sent a letter to the State Board of Education detailing how recurring and nonrecurring funds can be spent on behalf of school social workers specifically. 

• April 2022: School Social Work Advocacy and Learning Opportunities 

• 2021-2022 NASW-NC Budget Conference Committee Response: NASW-NC sent a letter to every legislator appointed to the budget conference committee with priorities for the profession including school social work.

• March 2022: NASW-NC sent a letter to the newly created Joint Legislative Committee on Access to Healthcare and Medicaid Expansion: As part of the 2021 state budget, legislators created this committee to study the state's ability to expand Medicaid and increase access to healthcare. NASW-NC's Legislative Committee worked on the letter to send to legislators outlining key priorities for social workers in both Medicaid Expansion and supporting the social work profession. Click here to view this letter. 

• 2019: NCDPI approves statewide School Social Work Consultant position after 4 years of NASW-NC advocacy!
  

• 2019: School Social Work Updates including current legislation.

• 2018: School Social Work Updates

• November 2018: NASW-NC Letter to State Board of Education on School Social Worker Needs

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• North Carolina - Restore Masters Pay for School Social Workers policy brief
• Resources for Youth-Serving Professionals
  • A resource from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) which is a collection of organizations and information, including a Tip Sheet for School Social Workers.
    
• Schools In Transition - A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools 
  
  • Guide to assist in supporting transgender and transitioning students within the school setting. Provides general background, social considerations, and legal education surrounding students at any point of their transition process. 

• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network Parent/Caregiver Guide to Coronavirus Disease
  
  • Guide providing information to help parents/caregivers/guardians in
    navigating the coronavirus pandemic. Outlines specific medical, mental, and emotional responses and techniques for families and students.

• Getting to Graduation: Homeless Youth Guide
  
  • Guide describing models and priorities, backed by data, on how to assist homeless youth and utilize LEA (local education agencies) to help these youth graduate.

• National Association for the Education of Homeless Youth and Children
  
  • Website that compiles varying resources for homeless youth and families. This tool includes scholarship information, cultural education, and access to related organizations that advocate for the education of homeless youth.
• School Safety: The School Social Work Role in Violence Prevention
  • Position paper from the School Social Work Association of America.

• International School Social Work Association
  • This website houses great resources for connecting global members, resources, and initiatives vital and relevant to the profession.
• Advocacy Resources & Statements
  • Collection of resources from the School Social Work Association of America organized by different topics.

• Safe Havens International

  An international non-profit organization that advocates for the safety of students on campus. Their mission is to help school increase their preparedness for crisis situations and campus safety.

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• NASW Standards for School Social Work Services
  
  • This document outlines the professional and ethical standards and responsibilities of school social workers and school social work as a profession.

• School Social Work NASW Publications
  
  • Article forum highlighting different topics and resources for school social workers.

• NASW School Social Work Special Practice Section
  
  • Professional hub for school social workers to find practice tools, articles, and resources that will be useful in the field. 

• National Association of Social Workers: Telemental Health
  
  • Website illustrating legal considerations for social workers for providing telemental health services.

• Institutional Racism and School Social Work
  
  • A document outlining institutional racism and its impact on the work of school social workers. This document provides a comprehensive background on institutional racism and how [school] social workers can challenge these ideals within their profession.

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• School Social Work Overview
  
  • This document is updated annually by NASW-NC and details how many school social workers are in the state and other general school social work details. NASW-NC uses this document in advocacy efforts. 
    

• NC Department of Public Instruction: School Social Work
  
  • Find information and resources for school social workers including relevant laws and licensure information.
• How to Become a Licensed School Social Worker in North Carolina
  • Information about becoming a Social Worker in NC.

• School Social Work Administration Guide
  
  • A K-12 comprehensive school social work program implementation and evaluation support tool. 

• North Carolina School Suicide Prevention Toolkit- developed with the help of NASW-NC Member Evonne Moore.
  
  • A toolkit designed to assist school social workers with joining suicide prevention efforts. This kit includes tools, charts, protocols, and assessments of individuals who have been identified as suicidal or having suicidal ideation. This guide also allows social workers to arm parents/caregivers with techniques and skills while the students are in their care.

• North Carolina McKinney-Vento Law
  
  • This legislation is the foundation of many policies that advocate for homeless youth and ensure that this population is properly educated. 

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NASW-NC provides these resources as a benefit to our members. NASW-NC does not necessarily endorse or approve of all of the information contained within the linked websites. If you have concerns about a linked resource, or if you encounter a broken link, please email membership.naswnc@socialworkers.org.