ACT Now: North Carolina
Tips for Success
- Use the training content in ACT Now to access test administration resources and walk-through test administration preparation activities.
- Dates and deadlines for your test administration are found in the Important Dates section of this website.
- Watch for emails from ACT with important reminders. Add our email address to your contacts to prevent emails from going to spam/junk folders. Whitelist email addresses from @act.org and @operations.act.org.
North Carolina Testing Program Comparison (PDF)
Tip: The ACT relative policy section was updated 12/11/24 to note a relative cannot be testing anywhere in the US.
Important Dates
Your Schedule of Events (web content) contains all dates and deadlines for your test event. Check it frequently to ensure you're on track for a successful administration.
Test Dates
Test Event 1:
- Standard Time Paper: March 11, 2025
- Accommodations Paper: March 11-14, 2025 and March 17-21, 2025
- Standard Time and Accommodations Online: March 11-14, 2025 and March 17-21, 2025
Test Event 2:
- Standard Time Paper: March 25, 2025
- Test Window 2: Accommodations Paper: March 25-28, 2025 and March 31 - April 4, 2025
- Test Window 2: Standard Time and Accommodations Online: March 25-28, 2025 and March 31 - April 4, 2025
Test Event 3:
- Standard Time Paper: April 8, 2025
- Accommodations Paper: April 8-11, 2025 and April 14-18, 2025
- Standard Time and Accommodations Online: April 8-11, 2025 and April 14-18, 2025
- What's New (web content)
- Address Change Request Form (webform)
- ACT Online Technical Readiness Survey (webform)
Learn about ACT Now
- Overview (video)
- Accessing In-App Resources (video)
- Glossary of Terms (pdf)
- User Role Matrix (pdf)
- ACT Now and Test Center Manager Tutorial (video)
- Comparison of Administration Platforms (pdf)
- ACT Now - FAQ's (web content)
Tip: The Completing the Answer Document section of this FAQ does not apply to NC. NC should follow the Paper Administration Supplement.
Setting up ACT Now
Invite or Manage Organizations in ACT Now
- Confirm Organization Participation Status (video)
- Adding Students and Assigning a Test Event (video)
Add Users with Roles to ACT Now
- Adding Users with Roles (video)
- Creating a User Account (video)
- Users File Layout (pdf)
- Users File Template (csv download)
Manage Your Students
- Quick Start Guide to Managing Students in ACT Now (pdf)
- Students File - Layout (pdf)
Tip: NC schools must leave the Gender field blank and enter MC for Multiple Choice testing. - Student Registrations File Template (csv)
Manage Accommodations
Understanding Accommodations
Assigning Accommodations
- Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) User Guide (pdf)
- Requesting Accommodations and English Learner Supports Using TAA (Video)
- How to Create an Account to Request Accommodation through TAA (training tutorial)
- Qualified Exceptions to the Deadline (pdf)
- Consent to Release Information (pdf)
- Requesting Accommodations and English Learner Supports (web content)
- Submit student accommodations through Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) system (success.act.org)
Prepare Students for Testing with Accommodations
- Alternate Format Practice Tests Order Form (pdf)
- Pre-recorded Audio Guidelines (pdf)
Tip: References to information found in test administration manuals will be located in Test Center Manager (TCM). - Video American Sign Language Usage Guidelines (pdf)
- Taking Assessments Online with a Screen Reader (pdf)
- Authorized Bilingual Word-to-Word Dictionaries list (pdf)
Prepare for Testing
- Technical Guide for Online Testing (pdf)
- Technical Readiness Checklist for Technical Coordinators (pdf)
- TestNav Support (website)
- Before Test Day Checklist (pdf)
- MyACT User Guide for Test Coordinators (pdf)
- MyACT Resources for Success (pdf)
Training:
- ACT Test Administration Training – Paper (webinar)
- ACT Test Administration Training Slides – Paper (pdf)
- ACT Test Administration Training – Paper Q&A (xlsx)
- ACT Test Administration Training – Online (webinar)
- ACT Test Administration Training Slides – Online (pdf)
- ACT Test Administration Training – Online Q&A (xlsx)
- Test Accommodations and English Learner Supports Training (webinar)
- Test Accommodations and English Learner Supports Training Slides (pdf)
- Test Accommodations and English Learner Supports Training Q&A (xlsx)
Prepare Students for Testing
- Information for Examinees (act.org)
- Preparing for the ACT Test Taken in TestNav (pdf)
- MyACT User Guide for Students (pdf)
- MyACT - Setup Account and How to Use Your Student Code (video)
- Letter for North Carolina Junior Examinee (pdf)
- Letter for North Carolina Junior Examinees-Spanish (pdf)
- Taking the ACT (pdf)
- Taking the ACT - Spanish (pdf)
Access ACT Now Policy Modules
Test Coordinator Modules:
- Policies (web content)
- Test Facilities (web content)
- Test Staff (web content)
- Test Materials (web content)
- Test Administration (web content) (coming soon)
- Non-Test Activities (web content)
Tip: NC schools do not follow Verbal Instructions for Answer Document Demographics on the task cards. Follow the paper administration supplement.
Room Supervisor Modules:
- Policies (web content)
- Test Facilities (web content)
- Test Staff (web content)
- Test Materials (web content)
- Test Administration (web content) (coming soon)
Set up Test Center Manager (TCM)
- Setting up TCM Test Coordinator (video)
- Setting up TCM Test Coordinator (simulation)
- Using TCM as a Room Supervisor or Proctor (video)
- Using TCM as a Room Supervisor or Proctor (simulation)
- Internet Outage Checklist - Paper Testing with ACT Now and TCM (pdf)
- ACT Now Backup Instructions for Paper Testing - Standard (pdf) (coming soon)
- ACT Now Backup Instructions for Paper Testing - Accommodations (pdf) (coming soon)
- ACT Now Backup Instructions for Paper Testing - NCR (pdf) (coming soon)
- Create a Test Room (pdf)
- Using Test Center Manager (web content)
Tip: This resource contains links to one-page instructional PDFs and short videos for the Test Coordinator and Room Supervisor for setting up and managing: testing staff, students, and virtual rooms within TCM before and on test day.
Administer Tests
- Administration Supplement - Paper (pdf)
- Administration Supplement - Online (pdf)
- Test Day Checklist (pdf)
- ACT Calculator Policy (pdf)
- Turn Off Device Poster (pdf)
Administer Tests with Accommodations
- ACT Test Translated Directions for English Learners – Online Testing (pdf)
- ACT Test Translated Directions for English Learners (pdf)
- Reader Agreement (pdf)
- Sign Language Interpreter Agreement (pdf)
- Scribe Agreement (pdf)
- ACT Spoken Instructions - Online (pdf)
Returning Materials
Access Online Reporting
- ACT Online Reporting User Guide (pdf)
- Access ACT Online Reporting (success.act.org)
- ACT Online Reporting State and District Benefits, Features, Navigation, and Rosters (video)
- ACT Online Reporting State and District Contract Reports and Student Reports (video)
- ACT Online Reporting State and District Summary Data Tool Resources (video)