Replace guesswork with defensible evidence.
PAES stands on peer-reviewed research. Swisher, Green and Tollefson validated the assessment in a 1999 study presented at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting (ERIC ED431021). Educators have kept refining it in real classrooms for more than 35 years.
2026 PAES customer impact survey, 307 educators
81%
say PAES reveals strengths traditional assessment misses.
90%
report improved student motivation.
74%
trust PAES data for high-stakes decisions.
75%
say PAES reduces subjectivity in decisions.
2,100+
Labs
40+
States
2,000+
Supervisors
10,000+
Participants
Five areas of real work
In the lab, students work as employees and educators score them as supervisors. There are 260+ jobs across 44 units, each sequenced from level 1 to 6, so every student starts where they are and moves up as they succeed. Over the assessment cycle students rotate through all five areas, so you see how they perform across many kinds of work, not just one.
Business &
marketing
Office tasks, data entry, customer interaction, inventory.
Construction &
industrial
Hand tools, assembly, measurement, material handling.
Consumer &
service
Food handling, hospitality tasks, domestic services.
Processing &
production
Packaging, sorting, quality control, production flow.
Computer &
technology
Keyboarding, basic IT, software use, digital tasks.
Trusted by
A lab, an assessment, and a report that gets used.
Three ways schools use PAES.
What 307 educators told us
82%
rate PAES positive
overall
86%
of educators report increased transition readiness
35+
years of field refinement
since 1987
Funding and procurement routes
Our leadership
Developed PAES while teaching transition education in Kansas and later validated the assessment lab through her doctoral research at the University of Kansas. Her work established the foundation for a hands-on approach that helps students demonstrate skills, interests, and career potential through real-world performance.
Dr. Judith D. Swisher
Grew up with PAES: her mother, Dr. Judith Swisher, created it in her own classroom, and Rebekkah packed the first curriculum boxes in the family basement. Today she leads author support and training content and directs development of the PAES Scan app. B.S.Ch.E., University of Kansas.
Rebekkah Swisher
Supports PAES operations and program growth with experience in public service, agriculture, community-based employment, sourcing, warehousing, and quality control. Brings practical workforce knowledge to the organization and helps ensure PAES remains aligned with real-world employment expectations and outcomes.
Ian Swisher