PAES gives CTE directors a structured, defensible way to evidence program quality, serve special populations, and demonstrate the work-based learning outcomes Perkins V requires.
Why PAES fits inside a CTE program
PAES is a performance-based assessment of real work, across five vocational areas: Business & Marketing, Construction & Industrial, Consumer & Service, Processing & Production, and Computer Technology. Each area contains 8 to 10 job cards at six progressive difficulty levels, which means over 250 unique jobs across the full program.
That is a CTE deliverable in every respect. It is measurable, employer-relevant, multi-levelled, and structured to produce the evidence that Perkins V program quality indicators demand.
Perkins V alignment
Perkins V requires states and districts to demonstrate measurable progress on program quality, including outcomes for special populations. PAES delivers on three Perkins V dimensions simultaneously:
- Program quality. Structured assessment with peer-reviewed instrument-level validation (Educational Measurement, 1999). That validation is rare in CTE assessment and stands up to state and federal audit.
- Special populations. Perkins V explicitly names students with disabilities, English learners, and other special populations. PAES was built for learners whose strengths are missed by paper-based assessment. 81% of supervisors report PAES reveals strengths traditional assessment misses (C02).
- Work-based learning. PAES transforms a classroom into a workplace. Employees clock in, report to supervisors, perform tasks, and generate productivity data. It meets the spirit of work-based learning inside a controlled environment where CTE programs can scale and evidence outcomes.
What CTE directors get
- A turnkey lab configuration that plugs into existing CTE space or an existing Career and Technical Center
- Measurable outputs that feed into local, state, and federal CTE reporting
- Assessment data that supports program improvement (a Perkins V requirement)
- Ready-to-use evidence for the self-study cycle and site visits
- A way to serve special populations without standing up a separate program
Where PAES fits best
PAES has strong fit in:
- Regional CTE centers and Joint Vocational School Districts (e.g. Ohio's JVSDs, Pennsylvania's Area CTCs, New York's BOCES, Oklahoma's CareerTech districts, Texas's Regional ESCs)
- Comprehensive high schools with CTE programs of study
- Career and Transition Centers serving SPED and CTE simultaneously
- Schools running supported internship and community-based work pathways
- Adult CTE and workforce delivery through FE colleges and community colleges
Funding
Perkins V is the core federal funding source. Many states layer state-level CTE equipment grants on top. For the full state-by-state picture, download the PAES funding guide (under "CTE & Perkins V" in every state section).