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BHEC updates ASWB talks on $200,000 Spanish exam appropriation; options limited by exam ownership
Summary
BHEC staff said the council has $200,000 to pursue a Spanish-language social work exam but must coordinate with the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), which owns the exam; staff is exploring options including AI-assisted translations, licensing a Spanish form, or asking ASWB to build a national Spanish version.
The council received an update on implementation of a legislative budget rider that allocated $200,000 for development of a Spanish-language exam for social workers. Staff reported the funds are restricted to that purpose and that the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) owns the national exam.
Staff described possible paths: ask ASWB to develop a Spanish-language version usable nationally (the preferred approach if ASWB cooperates); obtain older test forms from ASWB and have them professionally translated for a Texas-specific solution; or explore AI translation tools as a cost-saving interim measure. Staff cautioned that building a fully validated, stand-alone Spanish exam from scratch typically requires far more funding than $200,000.
Staff said they have a meeting scheduled with ASWB in early November to discuss options and timelines. The council's $200,000 appropriation cannot be repurposed for other uses and would lapse if not used; staff said they must be prepared to justify to the Appropriations and governor's offices why the money was not spent if ASWB will not cooperate or if the project cannot be completed within the constraints.
Background and constraints: Staff noted prior national efforts to create language-specific exam versions have faced psychometric challenges and regional language differences (for example, Spanish phrasing differs in different states and countries). BHEC members flagged concerns that AI translation alone would not meet test-validation standards, and staff said they would continue discussions with ASWB to pursue the most appropriate and feasible path for the $200,000 appropriation.
Next steps: Staff will meet with ASWB next month, then return to the council with proposed options and a recommended use of the appropriation.
