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Measuring strengths, building futures.

PAES measures real work ability, not test-taking. Students do hands-on tasks drawn from real jobs. Supervisors score what they actually do. Reports teachers use in IEPs, transition plans, and the conversations that shape a student's life after school.
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86%
of educators report increased transition readiness (C11)
82%
rate PAES positive overall (C01)
1,200+
data points per student, per semester
35+ years
of field refinement (since 1989)
Peer-reviewed
instrument-level validation
Student at a sewing machine in a PAES Lab Student threading materials in a PAES Lab Student operating a cash register in a PAES Lab Student packing inventory in a PAES Lab

A lab, an assessment, and a report that gets used.

PAES replaces paper testing with a real-world lab where students perform hands-on tasks across five vocational areas. What comes out is a report teachers use. In IEPs. In transition plans. In meetings with families.

The PAES Lab

A physical, hands-on environment. Five vocational areas. Real equipment, real tasks.

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The Assessment

Students do work. Supervisors observe, score, and build a picture of strengths over time.

How it works →

The Report

Evidence-rich output that flows directly into IEPs and transition plans.

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Three ways schools use PAES.

One assessment, multiple programs. The PAES lab, the data, and the report flex to fit what your team needs to deliver.

PAES Labs

Run a real-world assessment lab in your building.

Five vocational areas. Real equipment. Students do work, supervisors observe and score. The lab itself is the assessment.

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Transition Planning

Defensible evidence for IEPs and post-secondary outcomes.

Performance data special education teams use to write Indicator 13-aligned IEPs, build transition plans, and have the family conversations that shape life after school.

For special education →
Career Exploration

Help students discover what work they like and can do.

For CTE programs, vocational rehab, and workforce partners. Pre-ETS and Perkins V aligned. Students leave with evidence of skills and a clearer career direction.

For CTE & workforce →

Replace guesswork with defensible evidence.

Many programs in this space validate outcomes after an intervention. PAES validates the measurement itself. The PAES assessment has been peer-reviewed (Educational Measurement, 1999, with a companion paper at AERA the same year) and refined across 35+ years in the field.

81%
say PAES reveals strengths traditional assessment misses (C02)
89%
report improved student motivation (C05)
74%
trust PAES data for high-stakes decisions (C04)
75%
say PAES reduces subjectivity in decisions (C14)
Source: PAES Customer Impact Survey 2026 (n=308) and Educational Measurement, Issues and Practice (1999).

Read the research

Who we work with.

Special education, CTE, workforce, international. Different buyers. Same performance-based foundation.

Special Education & Transition

Defensible data for IEPs, Indicator 13, and post-secondary outcome planning.

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Career & Technical Education

Performance assessment that satisfies Perkins V and proves program quality.

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Workforce & Vocational Rehab

Pre-ETS and WIOA-aligned assessment for VR agencies and workforce partners.

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International / UK SEND

Live UK contract at Lighthouse Futures Trust. Adaptable to SEND and international frameworks.

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There's funding for this.

ESSER, IDEA, Perkins V, Title I, WIOA, Medicaid, state transition grants. We'll help you find the right stream, write the justification, and get the lab in your building.

Explore funding options

See PAES in action.

Book a demo, request a site visit, or download a floor plan. We'll match you with a regional rep who knows your state.

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