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Bill

A 5878

Allows for reasonable accommodations for the examination portion of licensure requirements to become a social worker for individuals for whom English is not their primary language

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Sam Berger and 3 co-sponsors

New York bill allows English language learners seeking social work licenses reasonable exam accommodations like extended time or translated materials to demonstrate professional competency.

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Bill Summary · A 5878

Legislative bill overview

Bill A 5878 would require New York to provide reasonable accommodations for the examination portion of social worker licensure requirements for individuals whose primary language is not English. This includes provisions like extended testing time, translated materials, or other supports to help non-native English speakers demonstrate their competency in social work practice.

Why is this important

Social work licensing exams are required to practice professionally, and language barriers can prevent qualified practitioners from obtaining credentials even if they possess necessary clinical skills. Expanding access to accommodations could increase workforce diversity in social services, particularly in communities served by bilingual or multilingual social workers who better understand their clients' needs.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and implementation: Providing accommodations requires resources for exam translation, extended testing windows, and proctoring—costs that may fall on licensing bodies or be passed to applicants
  • Exam validity concerns: Some stakeholders may argue that modifying exams (even with accommodations) could compromise standardization and comparability of licensure standards across candidates
  • Definition of "reasonable": The bill uses this term without defining specific accommodations, leaving ambiguity about what qualifies and potentially creating inconsistent application

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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