District Testing
US Students
ACT District Testing
The ACT: Fall Administration
The ACT District Testing program provides students the opportunity to earn college-reportable ACT scores by taking the test in their own classrooms.
Test Dates
The ACT Taken on Paper
- Initial Test Date: October 6, 2020
- Initial Accommodations Testing Window: October 6-9, 2020; October 12-16, 2020
- Makeup Test Date: October 20, 2020
- Makeup Accommodations Testing Window: October 20-23, 2020; October 26, 2020
Quick Links
PearsonAccessnext
Test Accessibility & Accommodations System (TAA)
To search variety of district testing content click here
Contact Information
ACT General Questions:
Phone: 800.553.6244, ext. 2800
Email:actdistricttesting@act.org
Accommodations or supports
Phone: 800.553.6244, ext. 1788
Email ACTStateAccoms@act.org
Welcome to Your Testing Program
Tips for Success
- Bookmark this web page and check back frequently for updated content. Content will be added as it's available.
- Mark important dates from your Schedule of Events on your calendar and set reminders for deadlines.
- Familiarize yourself with the seven stages of the testing cycle (Orientation, Configuration, Verification, Preparation, Administration, Transportation, and Interpretation) by browsing the sections for the ACT. You can see a brief description, action items, and resources associated with each stage to help you get a feel for the testing timeline. Content will be linked as it becomes available.
- Watch for emails from ACT with important reminders. Add our email address to your contacts to prevent emails from going to spam/junk folders.
Test Administration Process Overview
Select your current phase of the test administration process to see resources related to that section, or simply scroll down the page.
- Orientation - Get oriented with the testing program.
- Configuration - Configure testing setup and systems.
- Verification - Verify needs for accommodations and/or supports.
- Preparation - Prepare for testing.
- Administration - Administer the test successfully.
- Transportation - Transport materials and data to ACT.
- Interpretation - Interpret score reports and test data.
Activity: Make Staff Arrangements
1. Confirm School Test Coordinator Assignment
Resources to complete this activity:
- PearsonAccessnext User Guide (Managing Contact and User Account Information section)
- Manage Contacts (training tutorial)
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.
2. Select Test Staff
Resources to complete this activity:
- Staff Requirements, Roles, and Responsibilities
- Selecting your Testing Staff (training tutorial)
Activity: Manage Participation
Resources to complete this activity:
- PearsonAccessnext User Guide (Managing Participation section)
- Manage Participation (training tutorial)
Activity: Verify the Shipping Address
Resources to complete this activity:
- PearsonAccessnext User Guide (Managing Contact and User Account Information section)
- Address Change Request Form (pdf)
Activity: Learn about District Testing
Resources to complete this activity:
Activity: Upload Student Data
Resources to complete this activity:
- Student Data Upload File Requirements & Loading Instructions (csv)
- Student Data Upload File Requirements & Loading Instructions - Fixed-Width Format (pdf)
- Student Data Upload Header Template (xlsx)
- How to upload Student Data to PearsonAccessnext (training tutorial)
- How to verify Manage Participation and SDU (pdf)
- Tips for Accurate Enrollment and Invoicing (pdf)
Activity: Verify Enrollment for Test Materials
1. Verify the enrollment count (the number of examinees expected to test) in PearsonAccessnext listed for:
- Standard Time Testing
- Accommodations Formats, Braille Formats, and Translated Test Instructions for English Learners
- How to Adjust Enrollment to Manage Multiple Test Date Options (docx)
- How to Adjust Enrollment to Manage Multiple Test Date Options (training tutorial)
2. Check that all newly-enrolled students are in PearsonAccessnext by going to Setup, then Students
3. Enroll/unenroll examinees if the enrollment is not accurate
Resources to complete this activity:
- PearsonAccessnext User Guide (Managing Test Materials, Accessing Reports, and Submit a Request to Enroll or Unenroll an Examinee sections)
- Enroll/Verify/Update Students in PearsonAccessnext (training tutorial)
Tip: To verify accommodations/supports counts, run an Accommodations and Supports Roster in PearsonAccessnext.
Activity: Order Test Materials
- Additional standard time materials for the initial test date
- for an enrollment increase after the Verify Enrollment for Test Materials deadline
- if after receiving materials, more are needed
- Standard time materials for the makeup test date
Resources to complete this activity:
- PearsonAccessnext User Guide (Managing Test Materials section)
- Ordering Additional ACT Materials (training tutorial)
Tip: If additional materials are needed for examinees authorized by ACT to test with accommodations/supports, call the ACT Accommodations team.
Tip: You can track test materials shipments using Orders & Shipment Tracking. See the View Status and Shipment Information section in the PearsonAccessnext User Guide.
Activity: Request Accommodations and/or English Learner Supports
Resources to complete this activity:
- Quick Start Guide for Requesting Accommodations and/or English Learner Supports (pdf)
- Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) User Guide (pdf)
- PearsonAccessnext Operational Reports Layout (pdf)
- How to Access TAA (training tutorial)
- ACT Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) Training Tutorial (video)
- Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) System Supports
- Consent to Release Information (pdf)
- Retesting with Accommodations (pdf)
- Late Consideration (pdf)
- On Demand Accommodations Training - Available August 18, 2020 (webinar)
- ACT Accommodations Training Slides (pdf)
Tip: Pay close attention to the dates that ACT is asking you to select in TAA. National test dates are also listed, so be sure to select the test dates for your administration.
Tip: If requests are not authorized by ACT, you have the option to test these examinees with accommodations and/or supports for non-college reportable scores. The test coordinator needs to order non-college reportable materials in PearsonAccessnext.
Activity: Prepare for Testing
1. Complete Non-Test Activities
Resources to complete this activity:
2. Prepare Your Examinees
Resources to complete this activity:
3. Prepare Your Facility, Staff, and Test Materials
Resources to complete this activity:
- Test Facilities (coming soon)
- Test Staff (administration manual section)
- Test Materials (administration manual section)
- Test Administration (administration manual section)
- On Demand Test Administration Training - Available August 20, 2020 (webinar)
- Test Administration Training Slides (pdf)
- State & District Social Distancing Guidelines (pdf)
- Preparing for the Fall District Testing - FAQ's
4. Verify and Update Examinee Information
Resources to complete this activity:
- PearsonAccessnext User Guide (Manage Examinee Information section)
Activity: Administer the Test
Resources to complete this activity:
Forms
- Test Administration Form - ACT Standard Time Paper (pdf)
- Test Administration Form - ACT Accommodations Paper (pdf)
- Test Administration Form - ACT Non-college Reportable Paper (pdf)
Administration manuals
- ACT Administration Manual - Standard Paper (pdf)
- ACT Administration Manual - Accomms Paper (pdf)
- ACT Test Coordinator Information Manual (pdf)
- ACT Administration Manual - Non-College Reportable (pdf)
Supplements
- USB Troubleshooting Tips
- ACT-Approved Bilingual Word-to-Word Dictionaries list (pdf)
- No Phone Poster (pdf)
- Calculator Policy (pdf)
- ACT Late Start or Did Not Test (pdf)
Video
Tip: Ensure you are using the correct materials for your test date and type to avoid cancellation of scores.
Tip: If you are testing an examinee authorized for English learner supports, have the ACT-Authorized Bilingual Word-to-Word Dictionaries list handy to verify at check in that the examinee's dictionary can be used for testing.
Activity: Return Test Materials
Resources to complete this activity:
- Collecting, Packing, and Returning Test Materials
- How to Return Test Materials (training tutorial)
Tip: Do not return unused answer documents from initial testing. Use those for makeup testing.
Tip: Return answer documents following testing to arrive at ACT no later than the receipt deadline listed on the Schedule of Events.
Tip: Return all ACT-authorized accommodations materials at the end of the testing window, rather than returning materials for individual examinees as they complete testing.
Tip: Write your high school name and code on additional order return shipping labels.
Activity: Verify Enrollment for Invoice and Request to Unenroll Examinees
Resources to complete this activity:
- PearsonAccessnext User Guide (Submit a Request to Enroll or Unenroll an Examinee section)
Due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 outbreak, districts will be invoiced based on the number of tests scored instead of the number registered in PearsonAccess Next for the Fall 2020 ACT. Unenroll requests submitted after August 28 will no longer be processed for the purpose of invoicing. Unenrolls will still be processed for the purpose of moving students to another school.
Activity: Access and Understand Score Reports
Resources to complete this activity:
- PearsonAccessnext User Guide (accessing reports section)
- Score Report Schedule for the ACT Test
- ACT User Handbook for Educators (pdf)
- Sample Score Report - High School(pdf)
- ACT Online Reporting Training (video)
- ACT Online Reporting User Supplement
- ACT-TAA and Online Reports (pdf)
- ACT-Utilize report ACT ID to gain MyACT Online report access (pdf)
- MyACT Quick Start Guide (pdf)
Activity: Share Information with Examinees
Resources to complete this activity:
- Student Information Booklet (pdf)
- Sample Score Report - Student (pdf)
- Using Your ACT Results (pdf)
- Using Your ACT Results - Spanish (pdf)
- Understanding Your Scores
- Interactive Student Report (pdf)