Assessment Components

Local youth programs must provide an objective assessment (OBA) of the academic levels, skill levels, and service needs of each participant. The assessment shall include a review of the following:

• Basic skills
• Occupational skills
• Prior work experience
• Employability
• Interests
• Aptitudes (including interests and aptitudes for nontraditional jobs)
• Supportive service needs
• Strengths (rather than just focusing on the areas that need improvement); and
• Developmental needs of such participant, for the purpose of identifying appropriate services and career pathways for participants

Assessment Requirements

In assessing basic skills, local programs must:

• Use assessment instruments that are valid and appropriate for the target population; and
• Provide reasonable accommodation in the assessment process, if necessary, for individuals with disabilities

For purposes of the basic skills assessment portion of the objective assessment, local programs are not required to use assessments approved for use in the Department of Education’s National Reporting System (NRS), nor are they required to determine an individual’s grade level equivalent or educational functioning level (EFL), although use of these tools is permitted.

Rather, local programs may use other formalized testing instruments designed to measure skills-related gains. It is important that, in addition to being valid and reliable, any formalized testing used be appropriate, fair, cost effective, well-matched to the test administrator’s qualifications, and easy to administer and interpret results.

Alternatively, skills related gains may also be determined through less formal alternative assessment techniques such as observation, folder reviews, or interviews. The latter may be particularly appropriate for youth with disabilities given accessibility issues related to formalized instruments.

In contrast to the initial assessment described above, if measuring EFL gains after program enrollment under the measurable skill gains indicator, local programs must use an NRS-approved assessment for both the EFL pre- and post-test to determine an individual’s educational functioning level.

Requirement for Timing of Testing

Any tests of reading, writing, or computation skills must have been completed within six months prior to enrollment.

Career-Related Assessments

All youth, including youth with disabilities, can benefit from participation in career assessment activities, including, but not limited to:

• Assessments of prior work experience
• Employability
• Interests
• Aptitudes

Multiple assessment tools may be necessary since there is no standard approach that will work for all youth, including youth with disabilities. Career assessments help youth, including those with disabilities, understand how a variety of their personal attributes (e.g., interests, values, preferences, motivations, aptitudes, and skills) affect their potential success and satisfaction with different career options and work environments.

Youth also need access to reliable information about career opportunities (based on labor market information) that provide a living wage, including information about education, entry requirements, and income potential. Youth with disabilities also may need information on benefits planning, workplace supports (e.g., assistive technology), and accommodations, and also may benefit from less formalized career-related assessments such as discovery techniques. These assessments may be provided directly through WIOA Title I youth program career planners, and/or through referrals to national and community-based partners and resources.

Requirement for Timing of Assessment

A new assessment of a participant is not required if the provider carrying out such a program determines it is appropriate to use a recent assessment of the participant conducted pursuant to another education or training program. Such assessments must have been completed within one year prior to enrollment.