3/14/2021 12:37 pm Date / Time filed with the Register of Regulations | VA.R. Document Number: R____-______ |
Virginia Register Publication Information
|
Transmittal Sheet: Response to Petition for Rulemaking
Initial Agency Notice
X
Agency Decision
Promulgating Board: | Board of Social Work |
Regulatory Coordinator: | Elaine J. Yeatts (804)367-4688 elaine.yeatts@dhp.virginia.gov |
Agency Contact: | Jaime Hoyle Executive Director (804)367-4406 jaime.hoyle@dhp.virginia.gov |
Contact Address: | Department of Health Professions 9960 Mayland Drive Suite 300 Richmond, VA 23233 |
Chapter Affected: | |
18 vac 140 - 20: | Regulations Governing the Practice of Social Work |
Statutory Authority: |
State: Chapter 37 of Title 54.1 Federal: |
Date Petition Received | 01/26/2021 |
Petitioner | Florine Edmunds |
To extend the requirement for passage of the licensing examination and allow an additional
one to three years for remediation, training and equitable opportunities. To reduce
the passing score by 10 points and provide study sheets for retaking examination.
Agency Plan
The petition will be published on February 15, 2021 with a comment period ending March
10, 2021. The Board will consider the petition and any comment received at its meeting
on March 12, 2021.
Publication Date | 02/15/2021 (comment period will also begin on this date) |
Comment End Date | 03/10/2021 |
Take no action
Agency Response Date | 03/14/2021 |
In accordance with Virginia law, the petition was filed with the Register of Regulations
and published on February 15, 2021 with comment accepted through March 10, 2021. The
petition was also posted on the Virginia Regulatory Townhall at www.townhall.viginia.gov.
There was one comment on the petition from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB),
the body that owns the licensing examination.
At its meeting yesterday, the Board declined to initiate rulemaking in response to
the petition. The consensus was that lowering the cut score for passage of the national
examination would jeopardize acceptance of Virginia applicants for licensure in other
states. Additionally, the passing score is determined by an analysis by experts and
determined by ASWB for all candidates, and there is no basis for Virginia choosing
a different score.
Likewise, the Board did not agree to further extend the period during which someone
can be approved to sit for the examination. In its comment, ASWB noted that Virginia
is more generous than many other states in the number of times someone can attempt
passage and the amount of time given to do so.