Social Work Practice in Schools I.

Catalog description

This is the first course in a sequence of two designed to prepare students in the Master of Social Work program to effectively work within the public school system and obtain their School Social Work Personnel Pupil Services Credential (PPSC). The course focuses on the introduction and integration of knowledge that equips social work students to work within the California public school system (K-12) grades. In this course, students will develop a macro-level framework for understanding the challenges that impact public school education, local, state, and federal funding regulations, community impact and demands, child welfare, police, probation, and mental health systems. Students will understand the systemic structures, impact, and interventions that are foundational to the California public education system. Additionally, students will gain an understanding of students and families within the experiences with academics, educational and systemic equity, attendance, discipline, collaboration, community development, and organizational leadership and change. The course will address social work’s values and responsibilities within the public school system. Students in other University of the Pacific graduate programs may take this course as an elective with the permission of the instructor. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all previous courses in the SOCW course sequence or permission of instructor.