Chamber Education Survey

Chamber Education Survey FAQ

Why is the Chamber conducting this survey?

The Chamber is working with the public school systems in Huntsville/Madison County to develop academic indicators at several stages from Kindergarten through 12th grade. We will use these indicators to create a dashboard that will allow us to monitor whether the schools are performing within the range that the community expects. In order to establish that range, we need a quantitative measure that is both widely used by our local schools and nationally normed. The ACT meets these criteria. In order to establish the community’s expectations for how our public schools should prepare students (i.e., what ACT score students should be able to achieve), we are asking for public input.

Why is the Chamber asking the community to indicate a preference for particular colleges?

Schools have ranges of ACT scores that they accept for their incoming students. By identifying school preferences, we can determine the range of scores our students will need to achieve to be able to attend the schools their parents and future employers want them to attend.

Shouldn’t the students have a say in what schools they want to attend?

This survey is not intended to direct or limit students’ choices but to prepare them for success at the colleges their parents and future employers have identified as preferable. Their college options are expanded by increasing their academic achievement.

What about students who don't want to attend college?

As the global economy becomes more technical, entry level jobs will require more reading, math and analytical skills. By setting high standards for all high school students, we will prepare them for any choice they make after graduation. Our determination of the community’s expectations will not impact the high school graduation requirements or reflect on individual students. It will be used to set a range of acceptable performance so we can assess whether or not the schools are performing to the community’s expectations.

Will the list of preferred colleges be published?

No. The list of colleges will be used to determine a range of ACT scores that our community wants its students and future employees to be able to achieve. From there, we will work with the school systems to establish a range of performance for indicators along the K-12 pathway. The colleges themselves will not be identified or ranked.

Why not just use the ACT scores required by local and state colleges?

We understand that Huntsville/Madison County is a melting pot of people from all over the country and across the world. While we recognize our local and state colleges as critical partners in education and workforce development, we also recognize that our college-bound students will want the option of attending elsewhere and that our workforce is stronger when it pulls from a variety of colleges. By acknowledging the preferences of our community, we ensure that all students can be prepared for whatever their ambitions are after high school.

What about students who don’t take the ACT?

While not all students currently take the ACT, the state is moving toward a system that would use the ACT more comprehensively, thereby making it the best choice for a widely used and nationally normed quantitative measure.

Additional questions? Email Lucia Cape at lcape@hsvchamber.org.