Participants’ demographic information is self-reported.
2026 Examination Committee
The Examination Committee is made up of successful former item writers who are subject matter experts representing the diversity of the social work profession. This committee, appointed by the ASWB Board of Directors, typically meets up to four times a year to review and approve questions for use on the ASWB examinations.
2026 Form Review Team
After items are approved and have been shown to have good statistics by psychometricians, they become part of ASWB’s item bank, eligible to be placed on an exam form (version) to be administered to licensure candidates. Each form receives a final review by the Form Review Team, made up of subject matter experts, to ensure it continues to be relevant, accurate, and free of microaggressions before the form is used to assess competence.
2026 examination development meetings
- January 30–31, Standard Setting, San Antonio, TX
- February 20–21, Exam Committee, Clearwater, FL
- March 27–28, Form Review, New Orleans, LA
- June 5–6, Exam Committee, Washington, DC
- August 7–8, ASWB Leadership Weekend & Form Review, Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
- August 21–23, Item Writer Training, Arlington, VA
- October 2–3, Exam Committee, Reston, VA
2026 item writers
Item writers are practicing social workers contracted by ASWB to write questions for the social work licensing exams. ASWB works to recruit a pool of item writers who are representative of the social work profession.
Consultants
ASWB contracts with experienced social workers who work directly with item writers in the creation of the questions that are presented to the Examination Committee. The consultants are successful former item writers and Examination Committee members. These consultants also attend Examination Committee meetings to provide guidance and gather feedback from the committee on the work of item writers.