This research project aimed to investigate the experiences and roles of school social workers in Arizona and how school and district leaders can support their professional needs. The study's participants included 10 school social workers who met specific criteria, such as having a master's degree in social work, a certification through the Arizona…

There is limited empirical evidence about educational interventions for students experiencing homelessness, who experience distinct disadvantages compared to their low-income peers. We explore how two school staffing interventions in New York City shaped the attendance outcomes of students experiencing homelessness using administrative records…

In this conceptual article, the authors identify the current state of racial disproportionality in U.S. public schools and the ethical call for school social workers to engage in anti-racist practice. Using the ecosystems perspective, a familiar perspective for school social work, the authors present a model for addressing racial climate gaps for…

The ever-increasing demands of the American education system today can cause high levels of stress for public school social workers. Today's students have greater mental health and educational needs than in the past, and the education system is rife with contradictory policy changes to increase student success. This qualitative study uses in-depth…

Purpose: This qualitative case study sought to understand and examine school social workers' perspectives on their role within California's TK-12 public school system. Theoretical Framework: Bronfenbrenner and Morris's (2007) bioecological systems theory and Frey et al.'s (2013) national school social work practice model were employed as the…

Shortages in noninstructional itinerant staff (school nurses, school psychologists, school social workers) have been especially difficult for K-12 public school districts, as these individuals have critical responsibilities within the school setting that they are uniquely qualified to complete. Noninstructional itinerant employees face challenges…

The need for a variety of practice approaches and practice activities for social workers in the schools is a priority. The purpose of the current exploratory-descriptive study was to examine the roles of school social workers (N = 378) and the ways these roles change in different school employment settings and with different caseload sizes.…

The purpose of this study is to examine the readiness of school districts in Suffolk County, New York, to implement a trauma-informed system to address the growing needs of mental health interventions in student populations. A review of the literature showed a historical prevalence of mental health providers and individual student interventions…

There is limited empirical evidence about educational interventions for students experiencing homelessness, who experience distinct disadvantages compared to their low-income peers. We explore how two school staffing interventions in New York City shaped attendance outcomes of students experiencing homelessness using administrative records from…

Background: Among the most contested topics within special education research concerns racial disparities in students identified with disabilities. This phenomenon, referred to as disproportionality in special education placement, is historically rooted in concerns surrounding the overrepresentation of Black students in special education across…

In this study, we extend research on the allocation of educational resources to an underdeveloped domain--the distribution of counselors, psychologists, and social workers (i.e., support personnel) to schools. Using administrative data for all North Carolina public schools in the 2007-2008 through 2015-2016 school years, we measure the allocation…

This qualitative exploration in the form of multiple case studies interviewed a group of seven social workers from the St. Louis Metropolitan area to gain their perception as school social workers concerning their roles in public schools. The literature on school social workers indicated that school social workers brought unique knowledge and…

The growing diversification of the kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) classroom presents unprecedented challenges that will alter the ways in which school social workers, counselors, and psychologists function in school systems. Education reform continues to breed greater competition for diminishing resources and will ultimately reduce the…

The 2012-2013 school year represents a pivotal juncture for DC Public Schools. Last spring, Mayor Gray and Chancellor Kaya Henderson introduced "A Capital Commitment," their ambitious plan to dramatically accelerate student achievement in the district over the next five years by providing all of their students with a safe, academically…

U.S. school districts have taken widely varied approaches to reopening public schools for the 2020-2021 school year. The divergence stems from the highly localized approach to both schooling and addressing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and differences in COVID-19 transmission rates among communities. To develop a national…