Chapter Statements and Press Releases

The New York State Board of Regents approved emergency regulatory amendments in social work that are effective May 6, 2025. These amendments align New York State’s licensure exam requirements with national standards set by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), specifically by permitting English as a Second Language (ESL) testing accommodations.

For the full text of the regulatory amendments, visit the Board of Regents website.

Summary of Regulatory Changes:

• ESL candidates may receive up to two extra hours of exam time.
• ESL candidates may use up to two dictionaries: one bilingual word-to-word translation dictionary and/or one general English dictionary.

View the official alert at the NYSED Office of the Professions: https://www.op.nysed.gov/regulatory-amendments-approved-and-effective-may-6-2025