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CR 100.5 (d)(6)(i)(b) a technical assessment is an industry-developed assessment consisting of written examination(s), student project(s) and student demonstration(s) of technical skills to measure proficiency in a specific technical field through the application of national standards in such technical field. If no assessment exists in a particular technical field, a school district and/or board of cooperative educational services may form a consortium to solicit local, regional or national businesses or related professional organizations to create an assessment.

Definitions: Industry-developed assessment—The technical assessment is developed by business and industry representatives from the field related to the program. Industry-developed assessments are created by a third-party vendor. Written examination—A written examination consists of multiple choice and/or constructed-response questions which reflect the cognitive knowledge required in a specific technical field. The written examination must be reflective of the comprehensive program of study.Ìý This component must be an industry-developed assessment. Student project(s)—A culminating project or portfolio consists of projects/artifacts of learning that represent in-depth knowledge of a specific technical field. This component is locally determined and developed. Student demonstration(s) of technical skills—A performance examination consists of students performing tasks that reflect proficiency of demonstrable skills in a specific technical field. This component must be an industry-developed assessment.Ìý Measured proficiency in a specific technical field—Proficiency is determined by the third-party vendor based on a cut score or rubric. Application of national standards—The technical assessment is aligned with national standards in the specific technical field. Specific technical field—Content in a specific career area (e.g., welding, barbering, cybersecurity, etc.)

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Technical Assessment Components

The technical assessment is a three-part assessment consisting of:

1. Written examination
2. Student demonstration of technical skills (performance)
3. Student project (local)

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Selection of Technical Assessment

The school district or BOCES selects a technical assessment aligned to industry standards to measure student proficiency in the technical field for the program of study. The selected technical assessment must be a summative assessment reflective of the entire program of study, not just a component/course of the program.

The school district or BOCES may select a СÖíÊÓƵ State licensing examination as the technical assessment. СÖíÊÓƵ State licensing examinations are to be used as the technical assessment where required.

Other specific technical assessment requirements may exist depending on the content area. Please visit the CTE content area webpage or contact the appropriate CTE content area associate for guidance on discipline-specific expectations for written or performance components of the technical assessments.

Use of Employability Skills Tests

General employability skills tests measure general employability skills and do not assess knowledge in a specific technical field as is required by the regulations. With the exception of barbering programs, general employability skills tests may not be used as either the written examination or student demonstration of technical skills for technical assessments. Please refer to the July 2014 memo entitled, Secondary CTE Approved Barbering Program Guidance.

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Local Consortium

A local consortium may only be used if no assessment exists in a specific technical field. A school district and/or board of cooperative educational services may form a consortium to solicit local, regional or national businesses or related professional organizations to create an assessment. If an industry assessment does exist for a specific technical field, then a local consortium cannot be used to develop a technical assessment for use in a СÖíÊÓƵ approved CTE program.

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Requirements for Technical Endorsement

In order to be eligible to receive a diploma with a technical endorsement, students participating in an approved program must successfully complete and pass all components of a program of study including the three-part technical assessment.

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Changes to the Technical Assessment

Vendors may update, add, and/or replace industry developed assessments at any time. The technical assessment that is utilized must be the version that has been approved by СÖíÊÓƵ. If programs wish to use a different or additional technical assessment, it must be approved either through an amendment form or program re-approval prior to implementation.

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Sample Questions to Guide Technical Assessment Discussion

• Explain how the third party, industry-developed written and performance components of the technical assessment for this program were chosen.
• If there have been any changes to the program or the assessment, does the technical assessment still align to the program of study?
• Does the rubric for evaluating the locally developed project/portfolio need to be revised?Ìý

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