PreACT: North Carolina

Getting Started: Test Administration Process Steps

Select your current phase of the test administration process to see resources related to that phase.

 

Step 1: Overview - Review NC testing program resources and complete initial tasks.

Step 2: Prepare for Testing- Set up systems: verify enrollment data.

Step 3: Accommodations and/or EL Supports - Learn about accommodations and/or English Learner supports. 

Step 4: Before Test Day Tasks - Prepare test materials, students, staff, and facilities. 

Step 5: On Test Day - Administer the test.

Step 6: Return Materials: After testing: return test materials to ACT.

Step 7: Reporting - Access score reports: share scores with examinees and interpret data.

Step 8: Webinars and Administration Manuals Review NC Webinars and Manuals.

Important Dates

The Schedule of Events  contains all dates and deadlines for North Carolina's test event. Check it frequently to stay on track for testing. 

  • Testing Window: October 9 - November 17, 2023
  • Answer Document Return Date (ADRD): December 6, 2023

 

Documents will be replaced as they become available for Fall 2023

Help and Contact

Expand each tray for more information

PearsonAccessnext

PreACT Online Reporting Access (video) (coming soon)

PreACT Guide for Online Reporting (pdf) (coming soon)

PreACT Online Reporting Crosswalk (pdf) 

ACT General Questions:
800.525.3731
PreACT Contact Form

State Policy Questions:
Please contact your Regional Accountability Coordinator (RAC)

Learn about Test Formats and Policies

Resources:

Select Test Dates and Provide Shipping Information

Dates:

calendar August 7 - September 1, 2023

Websites:

Resources:

Select Test Staff and Set Up Accounts

Website:

Resources:

Tip: When the district test coordinator changes the school test coordinator in PearsonAccessnext, remember to deactivate the existing test coordinator's user account. Updates need to be completed in two places: the manage contacts screen and creating a new user account.

Order Test Materials

Dates:

calendarSeptember 11 - October 20, 2023

Website:

Resources: 

Tip: You can track test materials shipments using Orders & Shipment Tracking. See the View Status and Shipment Information section in the PearsonAccessnext User Guide.

Tip: The PreACT Test Materials Package includes the test booklets, answer documents, Administration Manuals, and other materials you will need to administer PreACT. Order one PreACT Test Material Package for every student who will be testing, including students who will test with accommodations or English learner supports. ACT will include an overage in each order.

Verify Enrollment Counts

Dates:

calendar August 14 - September 1, 2023

Website: 

Resources:

Training:

  • Enroll/Verify/Update Students in PearsonAccessnext (training tutorial) (coming soon)

Tip: To verify accommodations/supports counts, run an Accommodations and Supports Roster in PearsonAccessnext.

 

Learn about Accessibility Supports

Resources:

Arrange for Accommodations and/or English Learner (EL) Supports

Resources:

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 in PearsonAccessnext.

Prepare Your Facility, Staff, and Test Materials

Resources:

Complete Non-Test Activities

Resources:

Tip: When entering name on the answer document (block B), be sure to:

    • 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: 

calendar Standard Time and Accommodations Administration Window: October 9 - November 17, 2023

Resources:

Administration Manuals

Supplements

Return Test Materials

Dates:

calendarAnswer Document Receipt Deadline: December 6, 2023

Resources:

 

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: Do not return unused answer documents or any unused PreACT test materials.

Tip: Return the answer documents for all testing (standard, accommodations, or make-up) in the same shipment.

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.

Access and Understand Score Reports

Dates:

calendar View your Score Reports data in the Online Reporting Download Hub within 10 business days of answer document receipt. 

Websites:

Resources:

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: