ACT Aspire: Arizona
Activity: Learn About ACT Aspire
ACT Aspire® is the first computer-based longitudinal assessment system for college and career readiness that connects student progress from elementary grades through high school.
Resources to complete this activity:
- Summative Technical Manual (pdf)
- ACT Aspire Testing Process Overview Infographic (online and paper) (pdf)
Tip: Bookmark the URL for your state’s testing website (this site) and check back frequently for updated information and content.
Tip: Mark important dates from your Schedule of Events on your calendar and set reminders for deadlines.
Tip: Familiarize yourself with the seven stages of the testing cycle (Orientation, Configuration, Verification, Preparation, Administration, Transportation, and Interpretation) by browsing these sections for ACT Aspire.
Tip: Watch for emails from ACT with important reminders. Add our email address - @operations.act.org - to your safe sender list.
Activity: Make Staff Arrangements
Resources to complete this activity:
- Staff Requirements, Roles, and Responsibilities (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
- User Role Matrix (pdf)
- Invite Users (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
- Invite Users (video)
- User Import Layout (pdf)
Tip: When creating users in PearsonAccessnext, select only the highest role needed for a specific user. If multiple roles are associated to one user account, you may experience permission issues.
Activity: Complete Technical Site Readiness
Resources to complete this activity:
- Technical Readiness Guide (pdf)
- TestNav System Requirements
- TestNav Online Support
- Configuring TestNav (tutorial)
- On Demand Technical Readiness Training (webinar)
- Technical Readiness Training (pdf)
Tip: Review the Technical Bulletins for the latest news and information about technology.
Tip: Review Features and Demos to learn about TestNav’s wide range of tools and features.
Tip: If you’re having technical difficulties, contact ACT to assist you in troubleshooting.
Tip: Review your Schedule of Events for important technical deadlines.
Tip: Familiarize yourself with the updated technical requirements and manuals.
Tip: Download the newest version of TestNav and run an App Check on each device prior to testing.
Activity: Manage Student Information
1. Verify that all students who will be testing are enrolled. If needed, upload additional student information
Resources to complete this activity:
2. Manage student transfers
Resources to complete this activity:
Activity: Manage Groups/Classes
Resources to complete this activity:
Tip: Creating groups/classes is frequently done at the same time as creating test sessions.
Tip: Using Groups/Classes helps organize student information as you set up your test sessions and organize your paper testing materials.
Activity: Arrange for Accommodations and/or English Leaner (EL) Supports
Resources to complete this activity:
- Accessibility Supports Guide (pdf)
- Accessibility and Accommodations (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
- Input Personal Needs Profile Information (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
- Student Personal Needs Profile and Test Information File Layout (pdf)
- Create Personal Needs Profile (video)
Tip: Enter Personal Needs Profile for all applicable students before adding them to a test session.
Tip: Add students and update their Personal Needs Profile information before the deadline in your Schedule of Events to ensure paper test materials are shipped.
Tip: Paper test materials are only available for Large Print, Braille, and American Sign Language.
Activity: Place an Additional Order
Resources to complete this activity:
Activity: Prepare for Testing
1. Train Your Staff
Resources to complete this activity:
- Train Your Staff (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
- On Demand Test Administration Training (webinar)
- Test Administration Training slides (pdf)
Tip: Hold a training session with all testing staff before test day. This is required and is separate from the briefing session that happens on test day. Suggested topics to cover during the training session are in the ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual.
Tip: Room Supervisors and testing staff assisting with test administration must read the appropriate administration manual.
2. Prepare Your Examinees
Resources to complete this activity:
Tip: Use the Student Sandbox to become familiar not only with ACT Aspire questions but also with navigating TestNav and the tools within it.
3. Prepare Your Facility
Resources to complete this activity:
4. Prepare for Online Testing
Resources to complete this activity:
Tip: Prior to test day, set up all test sessions and assign students to the appropriate test session. ACT recommends completing this at least 2 weeks before test day.
Tip: Prepare test sessions 1-2 days prior to test day.
- Print Student Authorization Testing Tickets (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
- Print Student Authorization Testing Tickets (video)
Tip: Print student authorization testing tickets 1-2 days prior to test day. Tickets are secure materials, so ensure they are kept in secure storage until test day.
5. Prepare Your Test Materials for Paper Testing
Resources to complete this activity:
Activity: Final Test-Day Preparation Steps
Resources to complete this activity:
- Start and Unlock Test Sessions (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
- Start and Unlock Test Sessions (video)
Activity: Administer the Test
Resources to complete this activity:
Administration manuals
- ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual (pdf)
- ACT Aspire Room Supervisor Manual: Online Summative Testing (pdf)
- ACT Aspire Room Supervisor Manual: Paper Summative Testing (pdf)
- Accessibility Supports Guide (pdf)
Supplements
- Audio Directions in Spanish for Online Testing (pdf)
- ACT-Approved Bilingual Word-to-Word Dictionaries list (pdf)
- Calculator Policy (pdf)
Tip: The ACT Aspire logo has been removed from ACT's Calculator Policy document but the policy will apply to Arizona's administration of Aspire for Grade 9 students. - Report any Irregularities (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
- Braille Notes (pdf)
Tip: Select Braille Notes for Summative Testing. - Braille Notes-Forms 92A (pdf)
- Braille Notes-Forms 88 (pdf)
Tip: If you’re having technical difficulties, contact ACT to assist you in troubleshooting.
Activity: Post-Test Clean up
1. Online Testing Post-Test clean up
Resources to complete this activity:
- Post Test Clean Up (video)
- Mark Tests with "Will Not Test" Codes (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manua) (pdf)
Tip: Enter “Will Not Test” codes for students who didn’t test by the deadline listed in the Schedule of Events.
- Online Testing: Mark Tests with "Do Not Report" Codes (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
- Online Testing: Mark Tests Complete (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
Tip: Use a Do Not Report code for any test that was started but should not be reported.
Tip: Test Coordinators must ensure that all test sessions are stopped in the administration platform.
Tip: Record all irregularities according to instructions in the administration manual.
Activity: Return Paper Test Materials
Resources to complete this activity:
- Collect, Pack, and Return Materials (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manual) (pdf)
- Managing Materials During and After Testing (ACT Aspire Test Coordinator Manua) (pdf)
Tip: Return answer documents within 48 hours of all testing being complete at your school. They must be received by ACT by the deadline listed in the Schedule of Events.
Tip: Pay close attention to the return shipping labels you use for scorable versus non-scoreable materials, to ensure you affix the correct label to the correct box.
Activity: Understand Score Reports
Resources to complete this activity:
Reports Guides
- Summative Reports Guide (pdf)
- Summative Scale Score Charts and Tables (pdf)
- Interpretive Guide for ACT Aspire Summative Reports (pdf)
- Understanding Your ACT Aspire Results (pdf)
- Understanding Your ACT Aspire Results - Spanish (pdf)
- ACT Aspire Summative Individual Student Reports (ISR) (video)
File Layouts
- Summative Student Performance File (SPF) Score File Layout (pdf)
- Summative Student Performance File (SPF) Reporting Categories Layout (pdf)
Activity: Understand and Use Reporting Groups
Resources to complete this activity:
- Create Reporting Group Instructions (pdf)
- Create Reporting Groups (video)
- Reporting Groups File Layout (pdf)
Tip: Reporting Groups allow users with the Full Access Educator or Reports Only Educator roles to see student test results. Students are assigned to Reporting Groups (and can be assigned to multiple Reporting Groups) which are linked to test administration platform users to allow educators to access student data.