OAR 584-245-0330: Restricted School Social Worker License

(1) Purpose: The purpose of the Restricted School Social Worker License is to allow a teacher, administrator, school counselor, or school psychologist to serve as a School Social Worker while they complete the requirements for the School Social Worker License. The Restricted School Social Worker License requires school district sponsorship. (2) The Restricted School Social Worker License is issued jointly to an applicant and a district. (3) Terms of Licensure: The Restricted School Social Worker License may be reissued up to two times and is valid for a length of term, as provided: (a) For applications received from July 1 through December 31, the first Restricted School Social Worker License is valid through June 30 of the school year for which it is issued. (b) For applications received from January 1 through June 30, the first Restricted School Social Worker License is valid through June 30 of the following school year, unless otherwise requested by the sponsoring district; (c) The second and third (final) term is issued for a maximum of one year and with an expiration date of the next June 30. (d) Upon expiration of the final term (after the second reissue) of the Restricted School Social Worker License, the educator must qualify for the School Social Worker License. (4) The Restricted School Social Worker License will be restricted for use within a district that has applied for it jointly with the social worker and may not be used for substitute teaching unless the educator also holds another license valid for regular or substitute teaching issued by the Commission. (5) District Sponsorship: The Restricted School Social Worker License requires district sponsorship. The sponsoring district must submit a statement: (a) Describing the extenuating circumstances preventing the district from hiring a School Social Worker holding a non-provisional School Social Worker license appropriate for the assignment and how the issuance of the restricted license will protect the district's programs or students; (b) Explaining how the qualifications of the applicant will resolve the extenuating circumstances; (c) Assuring the Commission that the district will obtain the license for the educator prior to assignment within the district or prior to the 91st day after the date of application for licensure; (d) Describing the district’s plan to provide a mentor for the school social worker. (A) The district must identify that mentor in the letter of application. (B) For purposes of the Restricted School Social Worker license, a mentor shall be: (i) A person with a non-provisional Personnel Services License. (ii) When a person with a non-provisional Personnel Services License is not available at the assigned work site, a principal may serve as a mentor, so long as the school district provides the school social worker with support from a person with a non-provisional Personnel Services License as noted by the sponsor. (e) Describing the plan for how the school social worker will make progress toward qualifying for non-provisional state licensure within the first term of the Restricted School Social Worker License. (6) Renewal of District Sponsorship: Upon application for a reissue of the Restricted School Social Worker License, the sponsoring district must provide a new statement confirming that: (a) The extenuating circumstances necessitating the Restricted School Social Worker License still exists; (b) The applicant is still qualified and needed to remedy the situation; (c) The plan for mentoring remains in place. The statement must update the name of the mentor, if appropriate; and (d) The teacher is on track to meet the qualifications for the School Social Worker License by the end of the final term (after second reissue) of the Restricted School Social Worker License. (7) Applying for License: To be eligible to apply for a Restricted School Social Worker License, an applicant must: (a) Possess the personal qualifications for licensure, including: (A) Attainment of at least eighteen years of age; (B) Good moral character; and (C) The mental and physical health necessary for employment as a School Social Worker. (b) Meet one of the following qualifications: (A) Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an Approved institution in the United States, or the foreign equivalent of such degree approved by the Commission and be enrolled in a school social worker program approved for school social worker licensure by any state and have completed approximately one-half of the program; or (B) Has completed a Master’s in Social Work; or (C) Has a master’s degree in a counseling or social worker related field. (D) The candidate must submit an official transcript and/or any other evidence that the Commission requires to determine the candidate has met the qualifications of this section. (c) Meet the requirements for knowledge of U.S. and Oregon civil rights laws and professional ethics; (d) Complete a background clearance that includes: (A) Furnishing fingerprints, as required by ORS 342.223; (B) Providing satisfactory responses to character questions in the form and manner prescribed by the Commission; (e) Submit a complete and correct application in the form and manner required by the Commission, including payment of all required fees as provided in 584-200-0050. (f) Submit a District Sponsorship statement from the sponsoring district as provided in section 5 of this rule; and (g) Have never held any type of Restricted School Social Worker License. (8) Reissue: Restricted School Social Worker Licenses are subject to special reissuance conditions: (a) First Reissue. To be eligible to apply for the first reissue of a Restricted School Social Worker License, an applicant must submit: (A) A complete and correct application in the form and manner required by the Commission, including payment of all required fees as provided in OAR 584-200-0050; (B) A statement from the co-applicant district, as provided in section (6) of this rule; and (C) Evidence of progress toward completion of the School Social Worker License program. The evidence of progress toward completion must be verified by the educator preparation program to which the educator is enrolled; (b) Second Reissue. To be eligible to apply for the second reissue of a Restricted School Social Worker License, an applicant must submit: (A) A complete and correct application in the form and manner required by the Commission, including payment of all required fees as provided in OAR 584-200-0050; (B) A statement from the co-applicant district, as provided in section (6) of this rule; and (C) Evidence the educator has completed more than 50 percent of the program to complete the School Social Worker License requirements. The completion of more than 50 percent of the program must be verified by the educator preparation program in which the educator is enrolled. The school social worker program must be approved by the Commission pursuant to OAR chapter 584, Division 435 . (c) Non-issuance: The Director of Licensure may not approve the application for reissue of the Restricted School Social Worker License upon failure to show progress in the licensure program. (d) Prior to or upon expiration of the final term (after second reissue) of the Restricted School Social Worker License, recipients of this license must meet all the requirements of the School Social Worker License. (9) The Restricted School Social Worker License is not transferable to another district. However, another district may co-apply for a Restricted School Social Worker License for any time remaining in the original terms, starting from the date the first Restricted School Social Worker License was first issued by the Commission. A complete and correct application in the form and manner required by the Commission, including payment of required fees, as provided in OAR 584-200-0050, must accompany the request.