PreACT: Montana
Important Dates
Your Schedule of Events contains all dates and deadlines for your test event. Check it frequently to ensure you're on track for a successful administration.
- Testing Window: March 4 - April 26, 2024
- Material Ordering Window: January 8 – April 5, 2024
- Answer Document Return Deadline: May 5, 2024
Learn About Test Formats and Polices
Resources:
- What's New (pdf)
- Test Coordinator Checklist (pdf)
- Testing Policies and Information (web content) (select the first result listed after applying search filters)
Select Test Staff
Resources:
- Staff Requirements, Roles, and Responsibilities (web content) (select the first result listed after applying search filers)
Order Test Materials
Dates:
January 8 – April 5, 2024
Website:
Resources:
Tip: Orders will be placed through the CCRIS online ordering system. You may access the system through an existing CCRIS account or by creating a new account.
Tip: Select the correct contract (program) from the Choose Program dropdown menu in CCRS. Selecting the incorrect contract will affect your reporting and invoicing.
Tip: Order your test materials three to four weeks before your test date. This will allow time for delivery and check-in of your test materials and time for your students to complete the examinee information prior to testing.
Tip: Order one PreACT Test Material Package for each student that will test. ACT will include an overage in each order
Learn about Accessibility Support
Resources:
- ACT PreACT - Accessibility Supports Guide (web content)
- FAQ Sunsetting English Braille American Edition (pdf)
Arrange for Accommodations and/or English Learner (EL) Supports
Resources:
- Testing with Accessibility Supports (web content) (select the first result listed after applying search filers)
Tip: Administering PreACT with accommodations or English learner supports does not require prior approval from ACT. You will order alternate format test materials or materials for English learners at the same time you order your PreACT Test Material Packages
Prepare Your Facility, Staff, and Test Materials
Resources:
- Test Facilities (web content) (select the first listed after applying search filters)
- Test Staff (web content) (select the first listed after applying search filters)
- Test Materials (web content) (select the first listed after applying search filters)
- Test Administration (web content) (select the first listed after applying search filters)
Training:
- PreACT Test Administration Training (webinar) - January 10, 2024
- PreACT Test Administration Training slide deck (pdf)
Tip: Remember to hold a training session with all testing staff (new and experienced) 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 your administration manual
Complete Non-Test Activities
Resources:
Tip: When entering name and address on the answer document (blocks B and P-S), be sure examinees:
- Start with the first box and first column in block
- Fill in the appropriate oval for each letter in addition to printing them in the boxes.
- Fill in only one oval per column
Tip: Make sure examinees properly enter the form code into the Test Form block on their answer documents. This is essential to the answer documents being scored properly.
Administer the Test
Dates:
Test Window: March 4 - April 26, 2024
Resources:
Administration Manuals
Tip: PreACT and PreACT 8/9 have transitioned from delivering pre-recorded audio on a USB to a secure URL. The online administration manual has been updated to reflect this change.
Supplements:
- Calculator Policy (pdf)
- ACT-Authorized Bilingual Word-to-Word Dictionaries List (pdf)
- PreACT Assessments-Reader's Agreement (pdf)
- PreACT Assessments-Scribe's Agreement (pdf)
- PreACT Assessments-Sign Language Interpreter's Agreement (pdf)
- PreACT Translated Directions for English Learners (web content)
Return Test Materials
Dates:
Receipt Deadline: May 5, 2024
- Preparing, Packing, and Returning Materials (web content) (select the first result listed after applying search filers)
Tip: Test coordinators should verify completeness and accuracy of materials received from room supervisors before returning answer documents to ACT. Check that the test form code is properly gridded on each answer document.
Tip: Return the answer documents for all testing (standard, accommodations, or make-up) in the same shipment. Do not return any test booklets or unused answer documents (or any other unused PreACT test materials).
Tip: The polymailer envelopes include prepaid FedEx return shipping labels already affixed. You may leave the packed polymailer envelopes in a secure FedEx pick-up area at your site or FedEx drop-off site. Do not leave your packed polymailer envelopes in an unsupervised pick or drop-off site. Two options are available for materials return:
1) Schedule a FedEx pickup for materials return.
2) Drop off materials at a staffed FedEx location. Please obtain a receipt for tracking purposes.
Access and Understand Score Reports
Resources:
- Interpretive Guide for Student and Aggregate Reports (pdf)
- PreACT Online Reporting Crosswalk (pdf)
- ACT Online Reporting User Guide (pdf)
- Using Your PreACT Results (pdf)
- Using Your PreACT Results - Spanish (pdf)
- PreACT Student Report - Sample (pdf))
- On Demand PreACT and PreACT 8/9 - Using Your Results (webinar)
- PreACT and PreACT 8/9 - Using Your Results training slides (pdf)
- PreACT Download hub data file layout (xlsx)
Tip: Starting with the release of Online Reporting for PreACT assessments, the file that was historically received on a CD will be available for download through the Download Hub within Online Reporting. The file will be a CSV format. The new Download Hub file layout is represented in columns A through D. Columns E-G provide the starting and ending position from the old CD file layout.
Training: