KIPP Public Schools Expands Partnership with YouScience Bringing Student Aptitude Assessments to 48 Schools Across the Nation

By eSchool News Staff

Today,  YouScience announced its career guidance tool,  YouScience Discovery, is now available for students in 48  KIPP Public Schools, a network of national public charter schools. With the recent expansion, YouScience Discovery now reaches over 3,000 high school and 200 middle school students. Nearly 19,000 KIPP Public School students have taken the YouScience Discovery Assessment since the partnership began in 2016.

YouScience is the only provider of a fully-integrated platform that delivers highly accurate aptitude-based assessments, personalized career guidance, and industry-recognized certifications. With YouScience Discovery, KIPP students are provided with a proven, research-based assessment that empowers them to discover their aptitudes, eliminating their natural bias and showcasing opportunities for success.

“Knowing what students are good at, or their natural aptitude, is one of the most accurate measures of which careers they will excel in. It’s critical we help students understand this as early as possible, so that they can select the best educational pathway for themselves. In return, this will help combat the country’s current talent gap,” said Edson Barton, Founder and CEO of YouScience.

According to research published by Cambridge University Press, entitled ” Mitigating the skills gap by addressing the gender imbalance in high-demand careers,” interests are influenced by perceived “societal norms” that can limit the scope of students’ career exploration. While interests can vary by gender, in the research, both males and females demonstrate equal aptitudes for careers in the four industries reviewed: healthcare, computer technology, manufacturing, and construction. As STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and other job opportunities grow, it’s critical that we aid future talent by directing them into areas for education and careers that are ideally suited to their abilities and interests, and eliminate self-imposed biases.

“YouScience Discovery has really helped our students make a connection between their passions, skills, and purpose as they make decisions on the postsecondary paths they want to go on. In essence, it helps them have a better understanding of the strengths and skills that drive their career interests. At KIPP, we are committed to preparing all students with the skills and confidence needed for their postsecondary education. YouScience, as a tool, allows us to anchor pathway conversations on the innate skills found within each student,” said Jorge Ochoa, Senior Manager, Career Continuum, KIPP Foundation. “A key driver of our mission is equity and to work with families and students to provide a joyous, rigorous education, for college, career, and beyond, so that students can lead fulfilling lives. To that end, I’m thrilled to expand this partnership with YouScience.”

Read the full article here.