Services
Let's Get To Work.
CTECS is a small and flexible company that offers substantial discounts to our members. Click here to find pricing on the CTECS WRS Assessment© and general pricing on end-of-program assessments.The list below describes our main services, but we encourage creative proposals to partner with your organization to expand our resources and usefulness.
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CTECS Workplace Readiness Skills (WRS) Assessment©
(i.e., WRS Assessment©, WRS Test©, or WRS Retakes©)
Successful completion earns students a credential based on current, research-based mindsets and behavioral skill requirements for success in any career. Students earn this credential to complement a portfolio of technical and academic achievements and to ensure that they are prepared to enter the workforce or postsecondary opportunity. The current skills list and instructional resources can be found here: https://wrs.ctecs.org/practice/.
Contact the Career and Technical Education Consortium of States (CTECS) to begin offering the CTECS WRS Assessment with curriculum resources, instant exam results, and data collection. For a descriptive article on our full WRS Credential Package and curriculum, see our recent article in NCPN’s Connections newsletter: Read More.
The WRS Assessment features:
- Web-based (online) delivery through the E-SESS system in a proctored environment
- 100-question, multiple-choice test
- One-hour window for completion (with accommodations)
- Passing score of 75 percent or higher (validated using the Modifed-Angoff Cut-Score methodology)
- Test site administrators have instant access to results upon completion.
- Pre-tests and retake options offered.
- Accessible with standard internet connectivity at school or home.
Resources
- Click here to see our WRS Learning site.
- The February 15, 2019 Weldon Cooper Research Summary Report
- CTECS Workplace Readiness Skills Assessment pricing is negotiable for non-member states..
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End-of-Program Assessment Development
CTECS prides itself on its ability to facilitate a total assessment solution. Based on proven models, CTECS can build course standards or competency lists, analyze existing standards and competency lists, create custom-built, program-specific tests, establish pass/fail scores, offer credentials for successful student completion, and collect all related data in formats easily adaptable to your needs. We can also tailor select features of these services as needed. For an example of active assessments, see the Idaho member page.
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Standards Development & Analysis
CTECS personnel has earned their pedigree in instructional design. Working with your subject matter experts and instructors, CTECS can identify core competency lists for new courses or can validate existing lists or courses by rigorously analyzing those standards. CTECS works closely with industry representatives to close the gap between the workplace and classroom.
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Performance Assessments
While CTECS is known for developing online assessments, we also lend our expertise to the development of standards and steps for live, instructor-evaluated skill performance assessments or events.
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Scenario Development
Developing a Scenario, A CTECS Skill Standards, Instructional Design, and Assessment Strategies Module is a 47-page publication that takes you through each step of the scenario development process.
Ordering Information
Price: $20.00/PDF downloadable copy. Go to our shop to purchase.
Developing a Scenario was created to assist individuals interested in developing scenarios for use in academic and CTE classrooms. Scenarios can be used to provide instruction or assessment. The scenario format presented in this publication has been designed to ensure uniformity of appearance and consistency of approach. The format presented can be adopted or modified to meet specific needs. By following the instructions presented in this publication, developers will have fewer routine decisions to make and can concentrate on the instructional content of the scenario. Examples of scenarios are found in Appendix A and Appendix B. Copies of the formats are provided in Appendix C.
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Quality-of-Program Surveys
CTECS has enjoyed very positive results with developing and administering critical surveys for member states who want to take a low-cost, high-impact look at the way their own CTE programs are comprehensively operating and performing among their own practitioners. Ask us about what we have done in other states and how we might be able to tailor an easy, online survey that provides exceptional results.
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Packaged Assessments
CTECS offers full services on a total assessment experience to our members, but we can also tailor the features of this experience into components that suit your needs. Components include:
- Standards development
- Standards analysis
- Test item banks
- Test item writing
- Cut scores
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Career Clusters Development
CTECS performed some of the initial research and analysis for the Career Clusters, ultimately produced for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational Technical Education and now by National Association of State Directors of Career, Technical Education Consortium (Advance CTE). The Career Clusters model provides a way for schools to organize instruction and student experiences within sixteen broad categories that encompass all occupations from entry through professional levels. Knowledge and Skill statements which include performance elements and measurement criteria were developed for both Foundation and Pathways for each of the 16 clusters.
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Community of Practice
CTECS is essentially a collection of its members. Therefore, CTECS offers an annual Community of Practice conference. All members and partners are invited for presentations and workshops so they can freely exchange best practices and new ideas. CTECS pays travel and accommodation costs for one representative for each member state. Membership has traditionally been made between CTECS and state CTE departments who wish to enjoy significant discounts. Partnerships are forged with organizations who typically want access to specific developed products in a modified pricing structure. But even if you are just interested in joining our consortium, attending the COP is a terrific way to get to know us. Click here for past events and presentations.
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Curriculum for Purchase
CTECS offers the following online curriculum products:
- Level 1: Career Interest Development (Grades 8-9)
- Level 2: Workplace Readiness Skills (Grades 10-12 & beyond)
Please go to our SHOP for options.
YOU TELL US!
We are enthusiastically seeking out new types of services and products we might provide our members and partners. Even if you are not yet connected to our organization, we invite your ideas.