Abuses and Mysteries at the Association of Social Work Boards

Abstract

Under contract with the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), Pearson VUE reportedly performs much of the work of developing and administering the social work licensing exams required by most states. ASWB charges substantial fees for such exams and, after paying Pearson, has been able to bank considerable sums. One of the key contributions to the arrangement of ASWB is its supply of draft exam questions – which, after statistical pretesting by Pearson, may ultimately appear on licensing exams. Prior research indicates that students may find it relatively easy to guess the answers to such questions. Independent researchers have been unable to verify whether such questions accurately distinguish qualified from unqualified practitioners. In addition, ASWB refuses to disclose the rates at which various schools’ graduates pass licensing exams. Generally, ASWB engages in an unusual degree of information suppression. Such suppression appears inconsistent with ethical obligations but consistent with revenue maximization.