Why PAES?

Educators of students with special needs are required to identify appropriate and measurable postsecondary goals based on age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and independent living.

1.

A Valid Data-Driven Transition Assessment

Persons responsible for developing transition plans need valid data-driven assessments that provide guidance in identifying post-high outcomes and employment potential.

2.

An Assessment of Employment Potential

The PAES assessment gives clear and definitive answers to these questions by providing a profile of job performance and workplace skills that generalize to the expectations of a variety of employment options.

3.

A Staff Development Tool

“Because the pre-service preparation of teachers and administrators in assessment and data analysis has been weak or nonexistent, educators must have generous opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills related to formative classroom assessment, data collection, data analysis, and data-driven planning and evaluation.”

- National Staff Development Center

Who participates in the PAES Lab?

The PAES lab serves students who have learning disabilities, mild to moderate cognitive disabilities, hearing loss, physical disabilities, developmental and multiple disabilities.

Higher functioning students tend to move quickly through the PAES jobs to explore and identify their strengths and interests. 

Students with more significant cognitive and physical challenges identify their strengths and needs by performing as many whole PAES jobs as possible followed by discovering which subtasks of other jobs can be performed. If Accommodations or Modifications are necessary, PAES documents the necessary supports.

“If you’re conscious and can move any part of your body, you are employable” - Dr. Lou Brown, Emeritus Professor, University of Wisconsin

WHERE IS PAES USED?

IDEA requires that beginning not later than age 16 students’ IEPs must have appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based on age-appropriate transition assessments.

Some states require that postsecondary goals are identified and transition services initiated not later than age 14.

Consequently, PAES labs are typically located in middle schools and high schools.

Other locations include community colleges and special needs adult services.

How does PAES Work?

Mimics Real Workplace Settings

• The PAES Lab is designed to be as much like a real workplace as possible. 

• Teachers become Supervisors, and Students become Employees

• Employees Clock In/Clock Out, just like a real job 

• Employees follow an independent work procedure, which guides them through the process of getting their own job materials and calling for supervisors only when necessary

Career Exploration

In this Vocational Assessment, individuals explore jobs in five components, typical to community based employment, to determine their interests and abilities. Employees first complete a "Baseline Assessment" of the most-basic, Level 1 jobs (orange) to determine their areas of interest and ability. Then, they explore more difficult jobs in their areas of strength. By the time employees attempt Level 6 (brown) jobs, they are competing at the level of average entry level jobs in the community.