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SSWAA professional development
SSWAA PD Calendar
Stay up to date on upcoming SSWAA events, including Live Webinars, SSWAA Office Hours, Conferences, TownHalls, and MORE!
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National School Social Work Conference
School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) offers a National School Social Work Conference in the spring of each year! This Annual Conference rotates between 4 geographic regions of the United States (West, Midwest, South, and North East Regions). Our Annual School Social Work Conference is the premier staff development opportunity in the country for the school social work profession, bringing together hundreds of school social workers and other related school professionals from all over the US and International Colleagues as well.
virtual
National School Social Work Conference
SSWAA is offering a virtual option for individuals who are not able to travel for the in-person event.
SSWAA will be recording pre-selected sessions during the live conference event.
Individuals who choose to register for the virtual sessions will have access to 9 pre-selected sessions (13.5 CEs max).
Summer Syposium
Summer symposiums bring together school social workers in a way that provides a perfect blend of rejuvenating Continuing Education sessions, relaxation, and pure FUN! Don't miss this unique opportunity to prioritize your well-being and connect with fellow school social work professionals.
SSWAA Live Webinar Training
School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) provides live-synchronous webinars and professional development training on research topics related to school social work. These webinars provide an online format for School Social Workers to gather and receive valuable training and information.
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national certification
National Certification for School Social Workers (NCSSW) centers around the nine (9) competencies associated with the National School Social Work Model. The competencies were derived from the National School Social Work Practice Model. The performance indicators were developed by a diverse team of school social work professionals and academics representing all regions of SSWAA.
Online Book Series***
School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) in partnership with Minnesota State University (MNSU) offers an online CE program for members and non-members. The program involves reading any one of several available School Social Work related books published by Oxford Press. You must complete a Webinar Evaluation. Upon submitting the completed evaluation, you will receive a CE certificate in the mail. This is a very easy way to earn CEs that does not involve travel to a conference, plus it can be accomplished in your living room.
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***Online Book Series CEs are provided and issued by Minnesota State University (MNSU).
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CIRGL Certificate Program***
School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) is pleased to offer a continuing education certificate opportunity via SSWAAed, our online learning platform. The Culturally Informed Responses to Grief and Loss (CIRGL) certificate program consists of eight modules, fully asynchronous, to equip school-based professionals with culturally informed approaches to understanding and addressing grief and loss. As of August 2025, the updated program includes two additional (& optional) modules to increase the scope of content for all learners.
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***See note below regarding CE provision change as of Sept. 2025.
Speaker Disclaimer Statement​
Views expressed by presenters are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of SSWAA.
Beliefs or Rationale:
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SSWAA welcomes a diversity of viewpoints expressed in a respectful manner. SSWAA also recognizes that social workers can agree to disagree agreeably, and still remain professional.
Some speakers may express views that are inconsistent with good self-care, competence, or ethics. When this occurs, the NASW Code of Ethics specifically states that the colleague should be professionally approached and communicated with directly, before escalating the conflict or disagreement to another level. This may not always be possible or the colleague may be unresponsive to feedback. In these circumstances, SSWAA recommends addressing it with leadership of the organization or the proper authority.
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ACE Approval Statement:
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School Social Work Association of America SSWAA, #1789, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. School Social Work Association of America SSWAA maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 07/27/2023 – 07/27/2026.
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***Please note:
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The Online Book Series CEs are provided and maintained by Minnesota State University, not SSWAA.
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Prior to September 2025, the CIRGL Certificate Program CEs were provided and maintained by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; Since September 2025, SSWAA provides the CEs for successful completion of CIRGL. For this reason, CE requirements and/or provision may be different prior to vs. after September 2025.​
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Note: Many state licensing boards impose specific limitations on course content, distance education, or other elements of continuing education, even when courses are taken from approved providers. It is your sole responsibility to ensure that the courses taken will meet the requirements for your state licensure.
Questions about Professional Development at SSWAA?
Reach out to our PD Coordinator, Emily Shayman, at PDlearning@sswaa.org
professional development
department
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mission statement
At the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA), our Professional Development Department is dedicated to curating intentional spaces of learning and belonging that empower and equip school social workers to excel in their roles. We commit to fostering an environment of continuous growth, innovation, and collaboration, ensuring that our members have access to applicable training, innovative resources, evidence-based practices, and a supportive community.