Getting Ready for The ACT Project Testing

1. Getting Ready for The ACTProject Testing Presented by: Laura Beach

2. Agenda • Project Testing Overview • Standard Testing Requirements • Facilities • Personnel • Security of Test Materials • Test Day Activities • Other Administration Requirements • Test Administration Training • Return of Materials

3. What is project testing? • Opportunity for students to take the ACT (no writing) • Scores may not be accepted by all scholarship agencies or institutions (e.g., NCAA) • Testing Year is September 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010 • Use only 2009-2010 materials

4. Test Fees • All answer documents shipped must have payment included - $32.00 • Fee Waivers are available – must contact Sara Davis at 800-553-6244 ext. 1536 - Project Testing fee waivers are different than national test date fee waivers - Need to send proper waivers or answer folder will be on hold until proper fee waiver is mailed.

5. Standard Testing Requirements

6. Standard Testing Requirements • Apply to all test dates • Facilities • Personnel • Security • Exact timing of tests • Documentation of test day procedures • Other test administration requirements

7. Facilities

8. Facilities • Choice of test rooms for standard time administration • Well lit, comfortable temperature, quiet atmosphere • Comfortable seating for 25-30 examinees • Prefer no more than 100 examinees per room for manageable security

9. Facilities • Adequate writing surfaces • Must accommodate both test booklet and answer folder • No lapboards permitted; temporary surfaces resting on chair arms must be reviewed and approved by ACT prior to use

10. Facilities • Seating arrangements (requirements apply equally to tables and desks) • Minimum of 3 feet apart side-to-side • Minimum of 3 feet apart head-to-head • All students must face the same direction, directly behind one another • Seats must be assigned by testing staff as students enter room

11. Facilities • Freedom from distractions • Only persons assisting with that day’s administration may be in the room • Turn off bells and public address systems • Uninterrupted testing period required • Bulletin Boards • Clocks • Left-handed Examinees

12. Facilities • Freedom from distractions • Separate testing rooms from regularschool activities • Away from noisy locations • Quiet wing of the high school – preferred • Materials Provided by Test Sites - No. 2 Pencils - Pencil Sharpener - 2 Time Pieces

13. Personnel

14. Personnel • Test Supervisors, Substitute Test Supervisors, have access to secure test materials prior to testing • Avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, and protect relatives (children, stepchildren, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, siblings, in-laws, spouses, and persons under your guardianship) from allegations of impropriety

15. Personnel • Test Supervisors & Back-up Test Supervisors maynot be related to any examinee taking the ACT • Supervisors and Proctors can not be involved in Test Prep Activities • Room supervisors & proctors maynotassist in a room where any relative is being tested • Proctors are needed if more than 26 examinees are in a room.

16. Security

17. Security • Constant security of materials • Receive and store secure materials – within 24 hours of receipt • Receipt, check-in, and verification of test booklets by serial numbers • Storage after testing – return test booklets to locked area immediately after testing – if you are doing more than one test date. • Keep Shipping carts – reversible address flaps to return test booklets

18. Security • Calculators - Only for the Mathematics Test - Most four-function, scientific, and graphing calculators may be used (unless listed in manual)

19. Security Advance Examinee Preparation - Distribute “Preparing for The ACT “ - Complete Pages 1, 2, and 4 of the Universal Answer Folder - Page 2 MAY NOT be completed on the test day

20. Test Day Activities

21. Test Day Activities • Test Day Schedule – must administer all sections in one day • Briefing Session for staff • Admitting Examinees – Proper Identification is required • Collection of Fees • Direct Examinees to seats – do not allow them to choose their own seats

22. Test Day Forms • Completed Roster, Seating Diagram, Test Booklet Count Form, and Testing Time Verification Form are required for each room. • Irregularity Report - Group – interrupting, emergency evacuation, inclement weather, missing test materials, mistiming, etc - Individual – irrational/prohibited behavior, illness, failure to follow directions

23. Exact Timing • More than one timepiece must be used in each room to ensure accurate timing • Time remaining may not be posted • Announcement of five minutes remaining must be read verbatim from the Supervisor’s Manual • Timing and administration must be monitored in each individual room—not from a central location

24. Administration of the ACT **Uninterrupted 3.5 hours is required Must be administered in this exact order. • English 75 items 45 min • Math 60 items 60 min Break – 10-15 minutes • Reading 40 items 35 min • Science 40 items 35 min

25. Other Test Administration Requirements

26. Other Test Administration Requirements Training Session for Staff (pg. 47-48) Briefing Session 30 min. prior to test No food or drink permitted in testing rooms—this applies to both staff and examinees Tests must be administered in the order listed: Test 1 (first), Test 2 (second)…

27. Testing withAccommodations

28. Testing withAccommodations • Examinees with professionally diagnosed and documented disabilities who can not test under standard time with regular type (10 pt) may NOT test through Project Testing - They need to go through “special testing” through the national test program. • Examinees with hearing impairments may test at your sites

29. Test Administration Training

30. Following Test Administration Training • Testing staff must read and be familiar with the Supervisor’s Manual • The Test Supervisor will organize an in-school completion of all pre-test information sections of the answer folder (before test day)

31. Test Administration Training • The Test Supervisor will: • Select Room Supervisors and Proctors • Conduct a required local training session for all testing staff before testing • Distribute a complete copy of the appropriate Supervisor’s Manual to each Room Supervisor

32. Test Administration Staff Responsibilities The testing staff must: • read and be familiar with the appropriate Supervisor’s Manual • read verbal instructions in the Supervisor’s Manual verbatim • focus on monitoring testing – NO other personal work is permitted • circulate frequently around the room to monitor examinees • recognize prohibited behavior and take action as instructed in Supervisor’s Manual

33. Return of Materials

34. Secure Shipment • Test Supervisor MUST return the answer folders and all required forms immediately after each administration. • 24 hour Window! • Return: • Used Answer Folders to be scored • Fee Envelope • Supervisor’s Report Form • Test Code Roster • ID Letters, etc. • List of Persons Denied Admissions • Seating Diagrams • Test Booklet Count Form • Testing Time Verification Form • Irregularity Report

35. Materials Return • All Test Booklets for the 2009-2010 testing year must be returned to ACT no later than June 30, 2010. • Used and Unused Test Booklets • Unused Answer Folders • Test Materials Pack List

36. Contact Information ACT Project Testing Sarah Davis 1-800-553-6244 ext. 1536 ACT-Project@act.org Laura Beach Laura.beach@act.org