ASWB to begin piloting online proctoring
Exam security
All exam candidates are subject to the security and confidentiality policies. Violations will be investigated, and candidates may be subject to sanctions imposed by ASWB, including score invalidations and limited access to the exams. ASWB reserves the right to notify the licensing boards of any violations and sanctions.
In alignment with its ongoing commitment to improving exam candidates’ experiences, ASWB will begin a pilot program to offer the option of online proctored exams for select candidates. The pilot will launch on Monday, March 23, 2026.
During the trial period, candidates who meet at least one of the following criteria will be offered the opportunity to take their social work licensing exam using Pearson VUE’s online platform, OnVUE:
- Live 100 miles or more from the nearest Pearson VUE test center
- Have approval for online proctoring as a nonstandard testing arrangement before registering for the exam
Individuals meeting one or both of these requirements must also meet technical and environmental requirements that help safeguard examination security.
“This pilot will allow ASWB to confirm that remote delivery can uphold our exam security standards while also reducing barriers for candidates with extenuating circumstances,” said Felicia Dennison, MBA, ASWB Director of Examination Administration. However, ASWB may need to halt the pilot, Dennison said, if exam security is seriously compromised.
ASWB’s psychometric experts have advised the association about the benefits and risks of remotely proctored exams.
“Testing outside of a strictly controlled environment offers flexibility for the test-taker,” said Jennifer Klafehn, Ph.D., of the Human Resources Research Organization. “However, it also raises concerns with respect to test security, cheating, technology failure, privacy, accessibility, resource gaps, increased test anxiety, and other issues that could weaken the integrity of the passing score.”
For these reasons, she added, many high-stakes licensure exams (e.g., law, medicine, nursing) historically have not offered remote testing options.
Some exam programs that have tried to incorporate online proctored exams have found unacceptable security risks, often because of the rapidly increasing sophistication of technology used for cheating. For example, late last year, The Guardian reported that cheating using artificial intelligence is leading to the cancellation this spring of online testing by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
To guard against security breaches, eligible exam candidates who opt for online proctoring will sign confidentiality and security agreements and follow strict rules concerning the testing environment, including not being permitted to take unscheduled breaks. They will be informed of the consequences of security violations, which include invalidation of exam results.
“We are cautiously optimistic that online exam administration can be provided securely,” said Lavina Harless, LCSW, ASWB Senior Director of Examination Services. “ASWB must balance its commitment to the candidate experience with its public protection mission. If exam questions are exposed, the exam’s ability to accurately assess entry-level competence is compromised.”
ASWB is contacting registered candidates who qualify for the pilot program and have not yet taken their exam.