The CSWE Accrediting Standards for Social Worl ~ Education

In 1984, CSWE implemented a new curriculum policy statement and BSW and MSW accrediting standards. The implications of these documents for the preparation of school social workers are reviewed, with a recommendation for participation in the process. • Two perplexing questions in social work education are, How should undergraduate and graduate social work education be articulated? and How can advanced social work practice or specialized social work prac-tice be defined? This article discusses these questions in relation to the 1982 curriculum policy statement! and the 1984 accediting standards ' of the Council on Social Work Education. Finally, the relationship of these educational changes to the education of people wishing to study school social work will be high-lighted, with some of the dilemmas reviewed. Because social work is practiced within a contextual base made up of the culture and values of our society, there will always be difficult questions and issues associated with our work. This is part of the constant challenge we all need to address together to keep the profession alive and well, so that it can continue to provide respected services for clients. Changes Affecting Social Work Education A primary change in social work education in the last several years has been the creation of baccalaureate social wor