A PAES Lab is a qualified purchase under multiple federal and state funding streams. If you want PAES in your building, funding routes already exist for this work; we help you find the right one.
Districts fund PAES Labs through a combination of federal, state, and local sources. The right mix depends on your student population, your program focus, and your state's grant environment.
The sources below are the ones districts most often use. Each section explains what the funding stream is, why PAES qualifies, and where to find the authoritative guidance.
We provide a customized funding letter template matched to your district's stream of choice. Request one here →
IDEA Part B provides formula funding to states and school districts for services to students with disabilities aged 3–21. This is one of the most common and most reliable funding sources for PAES Labs.
PAES supports IEP development, transition planning, and secondary transition services under Indicator 13. PAES assessment data is defensible, performance-based, and directly supports post-secondary outcome goals, all IDEA-aligned uses.
Perkins V funds career and technical education programs that develop academic, technical, and employability skills. PAES fits squarely within the Perkins V definition of performance-based CTE assessment.
PAES delivers measurable, performance-based assessment across five vocational areas, directly aligned with Perkins V indicators of program quality, special populations (including students with disabilities), and work-based learning. Perkins funds can cover the lab build-out, equipment, and supervisor training.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) directs State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies to reserve at least 15% of their federal funds for Pre-ETS, services for students with disabilities aged 14–22.
PAES maps cleanly to three of the five required Pre-ETS categories: job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, and workplace readiness training. Many districts fund PAES through cooperative agreements between school districts and state VR agencies.
Title I provides federal funding to schools serving high concentrations of students from low-income families. For qualifying schools, Title I can supplement special education and transition services.
In Title I schoolwide programs, PAES can be funded as part of a broader strategy to close achievement and opportunity gaps, particularly around post-secondary readiness for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
ESSER funds remain in play in many districts through approved obligation extensions. Where ESSER is still available, PAES is a qualified purchase.
ESSER permits spending on learning recovery, mental health, and supports for students disproportionately affected by the pandemic, including students with disabilities. PAES addresses the documented skills gap and re-engagement needs that ESSER was designed to fund.
Compensatory education funding targets students who need additional support to meet state academic standards. State formulas vary, most fold federal Title I dollars into a wider state allocation.
Where state comp ed rules allow spending on transition and career-readiness supports, PAES is an eligible use. Check with your state Department of Education for the exact allowed-uses list.
Many states run dedicated grant programs for secondary transition, work-based learning, and post-secondary outcome improvement. Availability, naming, and application windows vary by state.
PAES is funded through state transition grants in multiple states. When a grant requires evidence of program quality, the peer-reviewed validation of the PAES assessment (Educational Measurement, 1999) strengthens the application.
School-based Medicaid reimburses districts for health-related services delivered to Medicaid-eligible students, including services tied to IEPs.
Where PAES assessment is written into a student's IEP as a related service, districts in qualifying states may claim Medicaid reimbursement for supervisor time. Eligibility rules vary by state, confirm with your district's Medicaid coordinator.
Districts, foundations, and local workforce boards frequently fund vocational programs and transition services outside federal formula funding.
Common local sources: district discretionary funds, education foundation grants, local workforce investment board allocations, and community partnerships. PAES Labs have been funded through all four.
All nine funding sources, with justification templates and links to the authoritative federal and state guidance. PDF, 14 pages.
We'll prepare a customized funding letter template matched to your state, your district's chosen funding source, and your target student population. Usually turned around within two business days.