Report: DEI and Anti-Racism Language Embedded in Accreditation for Hundreds of U.S. Social Work Programs

A watchdog group, Defending Education, has released a report asserting that the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) 2022 accreditation standards embed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and anti-racism language across hundreds of bachelor’s and master’s social work programs in the United States.

The analysis finds that eight of the nine competencies in CSWE's 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards reference anti-racism or anti-oppression while discussing concepts such as privilege and social justice. According to the report, similar DEI-related language appears in program materials at more than 500 of the 897 CSWE-accredited social work programs.

Highlighted Standard

Competency 3, titled 'Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice,' instructs social workers to 'understand how racism and oppression shape human experiences' and to 'understand the pervasive impact of White supremacy and privilege and use their knowledge, awareness, and skills to engage in anti-racist practice.'

Program Examples Cited

The report cites specific admissions and program materials to illustrate how DEI expectations appear in practice. Examples include:

• The University of Alaska–Anchorage's MSW program requesting a writing sample that demonstrates applicants' understanding of concepts such as anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion and advancing human rights and justice.
• West Virginia University's MSW applicants being asked to write two paragraphs explaining how they would defend DEI principles in their work.
• The University of Maine asking applicants to describe their commitments to anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion and plans to advance them.

Funding and Financial Context

The study reports that CSWE collected just over $40 million in membership and accreditation fees from universities between 2016 and 2023. It also states that the U.S. Department of Education approved more than $90 million in grants to over 20 university social work programs that the report characterizes as centered on anti-racism and diversity initiatives.

Response and Perspective

Reagan Dugan, Project Manager for Higher Education at Defending Education, said the findings 'underscore how far our schools of social work have drifted from their core mission' and argued that programs should focus on equipping social workers to address practical challenges such as K–12 mental health needs rather than emphasizing what she describes as divisive ideological coursework.

Fox News Digital reached out to CSWE for comment. The report and its citations sparked debate about the role of accreditation standards in shaping curricula and admissions expectations for social work education.