Arizona school social workers: understanding their roles and supporting their professional needs

Ramos, Roberto A. (2023) Arizona school social workers: understanding their roles and supporting their professional needs. Doctoral thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

This research project aimed to investigate the experiences and roles of school social workers in Arizona and how school and district leaders can support their professional needs. The study’s participants included 10 school social workers who met specific criteria, such as having a master's degree in social work, a certification through the Arizona Department of Education, two years of experience in school social work, and two years at their current school. The participants represented four counties in Arizona: Maricopa, Navajo, Pinal, and Yavapai counties. They represent various levels of public schools, including PreK-12th grades, and come from different demographics and socioeconomic backgrounds. The group also comprised individuals with varying years of experience, genders, and ages. Five questions guided the research, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants during February 2023. The interviews consisted of 10 questions to gather the participants' lived experiences and perceptions as school social workers. They were invited to participate through personal email, social media posts, and network opportunities. The interviews took place via Zoom and lasted between 45-90 minutes. All the interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for common themes and are presented within this research study.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	Professional Needs; School Social Workers; Social Workers; Supporting; Understanding
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of Education > Educational Leadership
Date Deposited:	28 Jul 2026 16:57
Last Modified:	28 Jul 2026 16:57
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6321

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