Frequently asked questions
The questions teachers ask us most, answered plainly: cost, space, training, evidence, and more. If yours is not here, ask us and we will answer it directly.
About PAES
PAES is the Practical Assessment Exploration System. It is a performance-based assessment that evaluates what students can do across five vocational areas by having them perform real work tasks in a structured lab environment.
PAES has operated as a performance-based assessment business since 1989. Dr. Judith Swisher first documented the methodology in 1987 and validated it through her doctoral work at the University of Kansas in 1998. The peer-reviewed publication is Swisher and Green (1998), Educational Assessment, with a companion paper at the 1999 AERA annual meeting.
Special education teachers, transition coordinators, CTE directors, SPED directors, school psychologists, state Vocational Rehabilitation counselors, workforce board partners, supported employment providers, and international SEND settings. PAES is live in the US, the UK, Canada, and Northern Mariana Islands.
PAES is peer-reviewed at the instrument level: Swisher and Green, Educational Assessment (1998), with a conference paper at the AERA annual meeting in 1999 (ERIC ED431021). This is rare in vocational assessment. Most tools in the space validate program outcomes; PAES validates the measurement itself.
The PAES Scan Lab Management System requires iPad with iOS 15.5 or later, or Android 6.0 or later. Chromebooks are not currently supported. Offline scoring is available.
The PAES lab
Business / Marketing, Construction / Industrial, Consumer / Service, Processing / Production, and Computer Technology. 260+ jobs, 44 units, 5 components.
2 to 3 tablets (iPad iOS 15.5+ or Android 6.0+, minimum 9.7" screen), 2 to 3 computers with Microsoft Office, a color or black and white printer, a wall clock and calendar, and a dry erase or cork board. Chromebooks do not currently work with the full PAES scoring platform.
Yes. The PAES Scan Lab Management System scores offline and syncs when a connection returns. Nothing is lost.
Evidence and outcomes
In the 2026 Customer Impact Survey (n=307), 82% rated PAES positive overall. 81% said it reveals strengths traditional assessment misses. 86% reported increased student transition readiness. 90% reported improved student motivation. 74% trust PAES data for high-stakes decisions.
Yes. The 2026 survey's weakest item was attendance, with only 53% reporting an improvement. We name it rather than hide it. PAES is not designed as an attendance intervention. Its strength is in what happens once students are in the lab.
Yes, and we recommend you do. Peer-reviewed instrument-level validation strengthens applications for Perkins V, IDEA discretionary grants, state transition grants, WIOA Pre-ETS provider contracts, and charitable trust applications. Contact us for citation language.
Pricing and funding
The most common stack in the US is IDEA Part B plus Perkins V plus state-level transition grants, supplemented by local foundation or community funding. In the UK, the mix typically combines Dedicated Schools Grant (High Needs Block), High Needs Provision Capital Allocations, and charitable trust grants. In Canada, special education allocations combine with provincial disability employment services contracts. For the full picture, download the PAES funding guide for your territory.
In the US, yes, in many cases. Where a PAES assessment is written into a student's IEP as a related service, districts in participating states can claim school-based Medicaid reimbursement for supervisor time. Rules vary by state. Check with your district Medicaid coordinator.
Training and certification
Every new PAES Lab includes on-site setup and a two days on site, one to install the lab and one for staff training with a certified PAES trainer, plus access to 12 video training modules. Ongoing support is included.
No. PAES is designed to be delivered by trained special education teachers, CTE instructors, transition specialists, paraeducators, VR counselors, and similar supervisors. A data science or research background is not required.
Yes, and many do. PAES is structured so that trained paraeducators and aides can supervise sessions and collect observational data under a lead supervisor's oversight.
Please contact our team for the current certification cycle details.
Implementation and roll-out
From order to first student, a typical PAES Lab is operational in 8 to 12 weeks. That includes space planning, equipment delivery, on-site setup, and supervisor training.
A full cycle is twelve to sixteen weeks, with students in the lab 2 to 4 times per week. Shorter cycles are possible for specific use cases (summer programs, short-cycle Pre-ETS cohorts, adult assessment).
Supervisors export the accumulated data to a detailed student report that feeds into IEPs, transition plans, and post-secondary pathway conversations. 76% of supervisors rate the PAES report as useful for planning and decisions.
Privacy and data
Students are identified by a QR code and a first name or alias only. No personally identifiable information is collected or stored in the app. All data syncs are encrypted. Districts with strict data handling requirements can operate the app in local-only mode.
No. PAES data stays within your institution unless you explicitly export it or authorize sharing (for example, with a VR counselor under an IEP-authorized agreement).