NYSED-Approved Pathway Assessments in Career Development and Occupational Studies

– CDOS Pathway

(Updated April 2024)

Students who are otherwise eligible to receive a high school diploma in June 2015 and thereafter must

take and pass four required Regents Exams or Department-approved alternative assessments (one in each

of the following subjects: English, math, science, and social studies) and either pass a comparably

rigorous assessment for a fifth required exam, or in lieu of a fifth exam, complete the requirements to earn

the CDOS Commencement Credential. Students may earn the CDOS Commencement Credential by

completing all requirements set forth in Commissioner’s Regulation Part 100.6(b)(1-3) or by passing a

Department approved nationally-recognized work readiness assessment. The following assessments and

cut score requirements have been approved for use as Department-Approved Pathway Assessments in

CDOS. If you notice that any assessment cut scores or versions have been updated since the posting of

this document, please email ems[email protected]

Assessment

Description

Cut Score Required

ACT Work Keys,

ACT NCRC

ACT Work Keys is a core set of work readiness assessments:

Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and

Workplace Documents. Research-based and criterion-

referenced, Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace

Documents assess the common set of work readiness skills

essential for success across industries and occupations. Each

assessment covers multiple levels of mastery

within the skill domain, with scores expressed as Levels 3-7.

The assessments are based on extensive primary and

secondary research into the skill requirements of today’s

jobs. Assessment level scores can be referenced to the skill

requirements of specific occupations to provide more precise

information to students, job seekers, educators, and

employers.

Sponsor

ed by ACT, Inc.

: http://www.act.org/

Passing score as specified

by the test publisher

CASAS eWORKs

CASAS eWORKs is comprised of the CASAS Reading and

Math assessments, to measure academic skills, and the

Workforce Readiness Skills (WRS) assessment to measure

soft skills. The soft skills assessments are comprised of

objective, nationally-recognized, industry-validated

components, which accurately measure an individual’s

workplace skills, and identify specific areas for improvement.

The program also includes instructional resources to target

specific needs. In addition, eWORKs includes an employer

needs survey, collates results according to O*NET career

categories and connects workers with the skills that are

important to employers and necessary to function on the job

and advance in one’s career.

Sponsor

ed by

Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment

System (CASAS) and Learning Resources, Inc. (LRI):

www.casas.org

Passing score as specified

by the test publisher

Assessment

Description

Cut Score Required

National Work

Readiness

Credential

(NWRC) / NWRC

Assessments

The NWRC assessments are comprised of four tests:

Workplace Math, Workplace Reading, Situational Judgement

and Active Listening. Each assessment is administered

separately. The NWRC assessments are based on a

comprehensive job task analysis (work readiness profile) – a

compilation of the most common tasks required among entry

level jobs across industries and the knowledge and skills

required to perform these tasks with sufficient competence

for success. Employers across industry sectors including, but

not limited to, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality,

transportation and energy, have actively and directly

participated in each stage of development and validation of

the NWRC assessments.

Sponsored by National Work Readiness Council

/ WIN

Learning: www.nwrc.org

Passing score as specified

by the test publisher

NOCTI 21

Century Skills for

Workplace

Success

The 21st Century Skills for Workplace Success industry-

based credential is included in NOCTI’s Employability

assessment battery. NOCTI’s employability credentials

measure the skills that represent critical knowledge needed

for success in the workplace. The Employability assessments

offer a written component and can be used at the secondary

and post-secondary levels. Employability assessments can be

delivered in an online or paper/pencil format.

A full blueprint for this assessment

can be accessed at:

https://www.nocti.org/PDFs/JobReady/1437_21st_Century_S

kills.pdf.

Sponsored by National Occupational Competency Testing

Institute (NOCTI): https://www.nocti.org/

Cut score as specified by

the test publisher.

NOCTI

Employability

Skills

The Employability Skills industry-based credential is

included in NOCTI’s Employability assessment battery.

NOCTI’s employability credentials measure the skills that

represent critical knowledge needed for success in the

workplace and represent standards identified by the subject

matter expert team. This credential includes a knowledge-

based (multiple-choice) component that can be administered

to both secondary and postsecondary levels participants.

full blueprint for this assessment

can be accessed at:

https://www.nocti.org/PDFs/blueprint/1440_01%20Employa

bility%20Skills%20Blueprint.pdf.

ponsored by

National Occupational Competency Testing

Institute (NOCTI): https://www.nocti.org/

Cut score as specified by

the test publisher.

Update log:

• 03/01/19 – Added Precision Exams 21

Century Success Skills

• 08/13/20 – Added NOCTI 21

Century Skills for Workplace Success

• 08/31/20 – Added NOCTI Employability Skills

• 03/27/24 – Modified vendor for 21

Century Success Skills assessment to include YouScience

• 04/22/24 – Updated assessment name (from Workforce Skills Certification System (WSCS) to eWORKSs)

Assessment

Description

Cut Score Required

SkillsUSA

Career Essentials:

Career-Ready

Assessment

The Career-Ready assessment measures the universal

foundation knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for

entry-level employment. It has been designed in consultation

with workforce experts such as but not limited to employers,

national business organizations, federal and state labor

agencies. It offers six reporting types that include a report

that compares pre and post student test scores and identifies

the percentage of change between the two scores. The Career

Essentials Assesments are specifically designed to fulfill state

assessment requirements as outlined in Sec.113 (b)(2)(A)(ii)

and sec. 113(b)(2)(B0(ii) of the Carl D. Perkins V

Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21

Century Act.

ponsored by SkillsUSA

www.skillsusa.org

Passing score as specified

by the test publisher

YouScience /

Precision Exams

Century

Success Skills

The 21

Century Success Skills assessment measures the

universal foundation knowledge, skills and abilities necessary

for entry-level employment. It has been designed in

consultation with workforce experts such as but not limited to

employers, national business organizations, federal and state

labor agencies. The Career Essentials Assesments are

specifically designed to fulfill state assessment requirements

as outlined in Sec.113 (b)(2)(A)(ii) and sec. 113(b)(2)(B0(ii)

of the Carl D. Perkins V Strengthening Career and Technical

Education for the 21

Century Act.

ponsored by YouScience

https://www.youscience.com/exam-catalog/

Passing score as specified

by the test publisher