The ACT Test: Texas
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 in ACT Now. Access the filterable schedule of events from your ACT Now landing page.
- 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.
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: February 25, 2025
- Accommodations Paper: 25–28, 2025 and March 3–7, 2025
- Standard Time and Accommodations Online: 25–28, 2025 and March 3–7, 2025
Test Event 2:
- Standard Time Paper: March 11, 2025
- Test Window 2: Accommodations Paper: March 11–14, 2025 and March 17–21, 2025
- Test Window 2: Standard Time and Accommodations Online: March 11–14, 2025 and March 17–21, 2025
Test Event 3:
- Standard Time Paper: March 25, 2025
- Accommodations Paper: March 25–28, 2025 and March 31–April 4, 2025
- Standard Time and Accommodations Online: March 25–28, 2025 and March 31–April 4, 2025
Learn about ACT Now
- Overview (video)
- Accessing In-App Resources (video)
- ACT Now and PearsonAccess next Comparison (pdf)
- Glossary of Terms (pdf)
- User Role Matrix (pdf)
- ACT Now - What's New (web content)
- ACT Now - FAQ's (web content)
Setting up ACT Now
- Setting up Your Contract Quick Start Guide (pdf)
- Adding Users with Roles (video)
- Creating a User Account (video)
- Confirm Organization Participation Status (video)
- Adding Students and Assigning a Test Event (video)
- Quick Start Guide to Managing Students in ACT Now (pdf)
Resources:
- Users File - Layout (pdf)
- Users File Template (csv)
- Students File - Layout (pdf)
- Student Registrations File Template (csv)
Request Accommodations
Accommodations Request Window: November 11, 2024–January 10, 2025
Website: Success.act.org
- How to Create an Account to Request Accommodation through TAA (training tutorial)
- Requesting Accommodations and English Learner (EL) Supports (web content)
Resources:
- Accessibility Supports Guide for the ACT (web content)
- Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) System Supports (web content)
- Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) User Guide (pdf)
- Requesting Accommodations and English Learner Supports Using TAA (video)
- Requesting Reconsideration (TAA User Guide) (pdf)
- Qualified Exceptions to the Deadline (pdf)
- Taking Assessments Online with a Screen Reader (pdf)
- Consent to Release Information (pdf)
Training:
- Test Accommodations and English Learner Supports Training (webinar)
- Test Accommodations and English Learner Supports Training slides (pdf)
Request Qualified Exceptions to the Deadline
Dates:
Qualified Exceptions to the Deadline Window: January 13–February 21, 2025
Qualified Exceptions to the Deadline Window: February 24-28, 2025
Websites:
Resources:
Tip: Reconsideration is used if you submitted a request for accommodations that was denied. Qualified Exceptions to the Deadline is for limited reasons as indicated on the form.
Prepare for Testing
- Technical Guide for Online Testing (pdf)
- Technical Readiness Checklist (pdf)
- Test Nav Support (website)
- Before Test Day Checklist (pdf)
Tip: If you’re looking for resources about preparing for test day, you’ll find them in ACT Now and TCM training content. Look for a test day checklist, system demos and tutorials, and much more!
Training:
- Test Administration Training session #1 (webinar)
- Test Administration Training session #1 slides (pdf)
- Test Administration Training session #2 (webinar)
- Test Administration Training session #2 (pdf)
MyACT Resources
Testing Staff:
Students:
TCM Resources
Tip: All ACT Polices need to be thoroughly read and agreed to in TCM, accessed through ACT Now. If you are serving as your site's Test Coordinator and Room Supervisor, you only need to agree to the training modules for the Test Coordinator. The information found in the Room Supervisor modules are captured in the Test Coordinator Modules.
Test Coordinator Modules:
- Policies (web content)
- Test Facilities (web content)
- Test Staff (web content)
- Test Materials (web content)
- Test Administration (web content)
- Non-Test Activities (web content)
Room Supervisor Modules:
- Policies (web content)
- Test Facilities (web content)
- Test Staff (web content)
- Test Materials (web content)
- Test Administration (web content)
Set Up Test Center Manager (TCM):
- Setting up TCM Test Coordinator (video)
- Using TCM as a Room Supervisor or Proctor (video)
- Paper Testing - Internet Outage Backup Plan (pdf)
- Using Test Center Manager (web content)
Test Day Resources
Administer Test:
Accommodations Resources for Testing Staff:
- 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-Authorized Bilingual Word-to-Word Dictionaries list (pdf)
- ACT Spoken Instructions - Paper (pdf)
- Pre-Recorded Audio Guidelines (pdf)
- Video American Sign Language Usage Guidelines (pdf)
Tip: If you're looking for resources, manuals, test forms, and other test administration resources, you'll find them in the ACT Now and TCM training content. Look for a test day checklist, policies, and tutorials, and much more!
Returning Materials:
Resources for Educators
Website: success.act.org
About Online Reporting:
- Score Reporting Schedule (web content)
- ACT Online Reporting User Supplement (web content)
- 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)
- Download Data in Online Reporting - FAQs (web content)
- Best Practices for Trusted Agents (pdf)
- ACT Online Reporting User Guide (pdf)
About the reports: