School Social Worker Job Description
What does a school social worker do? School social workers specialize in working with school-aged children, their parents, teachers, and school administrators to help students cope with a wide range of issues and perform well academically. Elementary school social worker jobs often include conducting assessments of children's welfare, education experiences, and family and community settings to make plans to meet their individual needs and plan interventions as necessary in coordination with a whole support team of educators, family, and community members. As they work with teens high school social worker may be required to counsel students on sexual activity, substance abuse, and mental health. These professionals typically work full-time in an office within a school but may need to travel to serve multiple schools in the area. Here we explore other aspects of a school social worker's job in more detail including what they do, how much they make, and what education is required.
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Duties of School Social Worker Jobs
The school social worker's responsibilities include the goal to help students grow socially and academically. Depending on the student, school social worker duties may include helping students resolve issues like bullying, school absences, and other conflicts. They may help students cope with disabilities, behavior management, and mental health issues. The role of school social worker is multifaceted. Other job duties for a school social worker may include:
- Counseling students
- Creating individualized plans to help students improve
- Managing case records
- Reporting any child abuse or neglect
- Educating parents on available resources to help their child
- Providing some teacher training (i.e. in behavior management)
- Attending educational planning meetings
- Advocating for students, families, and resources
Key Skills of School Social Workers
Social work in educational settings requires specific skills from trained individuals who care deeply about children's education and wellbeing. Those skills include:
- Good communication
- Empathy
- Cultural sensitivity
- Organization and record keeping
- Listening
- Community engagement
School Social Worker Salary
According to PayScale.com, school social workers made a median salary of $48,951, as of February 2021. This salary increased with years of experience, as school social workers by mid-career made an average of $50,455 and by late in their career an average of $59,557.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) groups school social workers with child and family social workers and reported that these professionals that worked in elementary and secondary schools had the highest average annual salary at $63,810 for 2019. In general, the BLS stated that child, family, and school social workers made an average salary of $51,030.
School Social Worker Job Outlook
The BLS also reported that from 2019 to 2029, school social workers are expected to add 90,700 jobs. This means that school social worker jobs boast an outlook of 13% over this time period. The BLS states that the need for school social workers will increase with enrollment, but that budgetary constraints may slow the creation of new positions.
School Social Worker Education Requirements
Students interested in knowing what it takes to become a social worker should know that most social workers in a nonclinical setting need a bachelor's degree. Those in a clinical setting need a master's degree.
For school social workers, this usually means first earning a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), which is available in on-campus and online formats. Many of these students will then go on to earn their Master of Social Worker (MSW). These programs are also available in online formats. Some schools may offer a licensure program at the bachelor's and/or master's level specifically for school social workers. In addition to a wide range of other social worker certificate programs, some schools provide graduate-level certificates in school social work that can be pursued while earning an MSW.
Licensure
Most states require social workers to be licensed. Depending on the state, some school social workers may be able to apply for school social work licensure after graduating with a bachelor's or master's from a Council on Social Work Education-accredited social work program. Other school social workers may choose to pursue a Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) after earning their MSW.
