College and Career Readiness for Texas Students

Texas universities returned to requiring standardized testing scores, on applications for the Fall 2025 semester. Each Texas school needs to have policies that best fit their needs, and ACT has options to help your students with readiness.

Unlock Potential in Texas Students.

We know that your students’ success doesn’t happen in a year. It happens year after year. That’s why ACT offers a continuum of sequential assessments, that students can take in the classroom, like PreACT, ACT School Day Testing, and ACT WorkKeys, all designed to prepare your students for a lifetime of success—in college and beyond.

Our holistic approach to college and career readiness serves the diversity of Texas students by helping win scholarship opportunities, navigate admissions policies, fill career gaps, and gain deep academic and knowledge insights found in their scores.

Why Texas Schools and Districts Choose the ACT

Fall 2025 Dates: Enrollment Deadline Aug. 15, 2025

Fall Administration Paper Test Dates
Standard and Accommodations Administrations		 Paper Test Dates
Accommodations Administration		 Online Test Dates
Standard and Accomodations
Test Window 1 Sep. 30, 2025 October 1-4 & October 7-11 October 1-4 & October 7-11
Test Window 2 Oct. 14, 2025 October 15-18 & October 21-25 October 15-18 & October 21-25
Test Window 3 Oct. 28, 2025 October 29-November 1 & November 4-8 October 29-November 1 & November 4-8

Spring 2026 Dates: Spring Enrollment Deadline TBD

Spring Administration Paper Test Date
Standard Administration		 Paper Test Dates
Accommodations Administration		 Online Test Dates
Standard and Accomodations
Test Window 1 Feb. 24, 2026 Feb. 24 – 27, 2026
& Mar. 2 – 6, 2026		 Feb. 24 – 27, 2026
& Mar. 2 – 6, 2026
Test Window 2 Mar. 10, 2026 Mar. 10 – 13, 2026 & Mar. 16 – 20, 2026 Mar. 10 – 13, 2026 & Mar. 16 – 20, 2026
Test Window 3 Mar. 24, 2026 Mar. 24 – 27, 2026 & Mar. 30 – Apr. 2, 2026 Mar. 24 – 27, 2026 & Mar. 30 – Apr. 2, 2026
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In the spirit of partnership, we extend special pricing, exclusive to Texas educators for the ACT and also the following solutions. Connect with the Texas team to learn more.

  • PreACT 8/9 and PreACT 10 - Offers 8th-10th graders the opportunity to practice for the ACT® test with a shortened version of the test and scores aligned to the ACT score scale.

  • ACT WorkKeys - Comprehensive program of curriculum and assessment that aligns, builds, and certifies the skills needed for workplace success.

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More Test Dates

The 18-day online testing window provides the flexibility to pick the best day for schools/districts and students to test. In addition, there are 6 days to test with paper.

Online Testing [Fall & Spring]

Texas students have the opportunity to test in the fall and spring. The benefits of online testing include:

  • Longer testing windows than paper.
  • Faster student reporting.
  • Flexibility to switch between paper and online testing as needed.
  • Scores comparable across online and paper.
  • No shipping/supply chain disruptions.
  • Reduced risk of test misadministration
  • Online state specific tech support.

Science Accelerated Testers

Accelerated testers are students who pass Algebra I, English II, and/or Biology STAAR EOC prior to grade 9. To fulfill federal testing requirements in Texas, these accelerated students must take a corresponding subject area SAT or ACT while in high school. ACT is the best choice for students and the only assessment that includes a science subject area for accelerated testers. The ACT is the only test that includes Biology content.

English Language Supports

ACT believes in success for everyone. We provide accommodations to US students who are English learners. The goal of these supports is to help ensure that the ACT scores earned by EL students accurately reflect what they have learned in school. Most importantly, test results are college reportable. Accommodations include:

  • Bilingual dictionary.
  • Directions in 18 languages.
  • Small group testing.
  • Non-distracting environment.
  • Extended testing time.

 

 

The ACT STEM Benchmark

The ACT is the only college entrance exam with a STEM Benchmark, which is an indicator of whether a student is well prepared for the types of first-year college courses required for a college STEM-related major. Millions of STEM jobs are projected to go unfilled in the near future. In fact, it's estimated that 3.5 million jobs will need to be filled by 2025.

More Scholarship Opportunities

Based on an independent study on test score requirements of merit-based scholarships at public universities, of 100 scholarships offered at 58 prominent schools using ACT/SAT cut scores, 34 scholarships favored the ACT, while only 15 favored the SAT. Learn more about scholarships where ACT scores make adifference here. 

Superscoring

Only on the ACT test are students able to take the average of their four best subject scores from each ACT test attempt—and count it as their official score.

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Texas leads the nation in providing students with clear paths to higher education and careers after graduation. Our ACT experts help you achieve College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) goals using ACT K-12 solutions to identify strengths, offer targeted interventions, and accelerate success. With over 54 years of combined experience in public education, our team has diverse backgrounds in teaching, administration, higher education, business, and roles within the Texas Education Agency.

Jennifer Pitts, M.ED – Central and Southern Texas 
Email: jennifer.pitts@act.org Mobile: 817-913-3110
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Kay Oliver – Dallas / Ft. Worth and West Texas 
Email: kay.oliver@act.org Mobile: 512-586-7919
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Reenie Laginess – East Texas
Email: reenie.laginess@act.org 
Mobile: 850-586-5143

Bailey Stilley – Panhandle and Red River
Email: bailey.stilley@act.org 
LinkedIn Profile

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Next Steps

Explore the benefits of testing students on a school day. 
 
Learn more by reviewing the Texas-related curated resources below. 
 
Connect with ACT Texas experts. Request a district or school consultation and/or talk to an ACT representative. 

Enroll for 2025-26 - Participate in the Texas District Choice ACT administration. Request your personalized enrollment link to start the process. Deadline for fall enrollment is August 15, 2025. 

Texas college and university admissions experts find value in the solutions ACT offers to high school students.

Breaking News:

The University of Texas at Austin Reinstates Standardized Test Scores in Admissions.

The University of Texas at Austin will return to requiring standardized testing scores, beginning with applications for the Fall 2025 semester.

During changing admissions processes, such as this latest Texas announcement, we realize that the insight that the ACT brings about a students’ academic knowledge is a valuable tool for making sure that students have a proven differentiator of their readiness. Now is the time to plan for how to make sure juniors and seniors are ready to apply for Texas higher education. 

Texas A&M Corpus Christi

“In helping students prepare for success in college, we have found that each student brings something different for enrollment professionals to consider. We strongly support traditional consideration areas like GPA and class rank as they indicate performance in high school and commitment to educational pursuits. However, standardized tests like the ACT provide additional opportunities to demonstrate understanding of key concepts that can be strong indicators to preparedness. When considering these factors as a whole (and even with co-curricular engagement), a stronger and more holistic predictor of student success can be achieved.”

Andy J. Benoit, Ed.D.
Vice President for Enrollment Management
Texas A&M Corpus Christi

Huston-Tillotson University

“I think there still is a place for the ACT assessment in our current academic admission climate. Many schools still utilize these assessment tools for scholarship selection. So, while we are test optional, we still do heavily rely on those assessments to be the differentiating factor for our students, for those merit scholarships and those other scholarships that they may be eligible for.”

Yohannis Job
Vice President for Enrollment Management
Huston-Tillotson University

Texas Resources

ACT Alignment with Texas Needs and Trends

The state of Texas is expected to represent nearly 10 percent of all future STEM opportunities in the US*, and more than half of the jobs in the state right now require STEM skills. With the ACT being the only test offering individual science and math scores, you’ll showcase your achievements to be STEM ready! 
*Source: https://www.learningundefeated.org/student-resources-texas/ 

ACT scores* can qualify students to be exempt from taking the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA).
*Students having a combined score of 40 on the English and Reading (E+R) tests shall be exempt for both reading and writing or ELAR sections of the TSI Assessment. A score of 22 on the mathematics test shall be exempt for the mathematics section of the TSI Assessment.