CoSN has developed a methodology and support tools to help school leaders determine the value of investment (VOI) for major initiatives, including teaching/learning projects focused on developing 21st century skills. 

Assessment is crucial, explains CoSN. The organization points to the work of the Partnership for 21^st Skills collecting examples of summative and formative student assessment. CoSN's differentiates their work as helping school leaders evaluate 21^st century programs.

CoSN's VOI steps involve:

1. Establishing the need
2. Understanding costs
3. Measuring savings
4. Measuring benefits
5. Determining sustainability and areas for improvement.

A compendium titled Measuring 21^st Century Skills is available free to members and sold outside the organization includes:

• Charts showing examples of successful summative and formative assessments of 21stcentury skills.
• A VOI Case Study.
• A checklist for district leaders interested in nurturing and assessing student acquisition of 21st Century Skills.
• Additional information on Route 21 and CoSN's VOI tools.
• An international example featuring Great Britain's Key Stage 3 ICT Assessment, designed to assesses students' ICT skills and their ability to use those skills to solve a set of complex problems involving research, communication, information management, and presentation.
• A state example featuring West Virginia's 21^st Century Content Standards, Learning
• Skills and Technology Tools, which focuses on revised state standards with improved "rigor and relevance for the 21st century

Source: CoSN, Measuring 21^st Century Skills Executive Summary