1

Changes to the ACT

Mobile, AL

February 2, 2015

2

• ACT – CBT (computer-based testing)

• New Readiness Indicators

• Enhanced Optional Writing Test

• Optional Constructed-Response Questions

• Enhanced Reporting

ACT Enhancements

3

• STEM Score – Represent overall performance on math and science tests

• Progress Toward career readiness Indicator– Helps students understand their progress toward career

readiness– Provides indicator of future performance on ACT National Career

Readiness Certificate (NCRC)• English Language Arts Score

– Scores combine achievement on the English, reading, and writing portions of the ACT for students taking all three sections.

• Text Complexity Indicator– Tells students if they are making sufficient progress toward

understanding the complex text they will encounter in college

New Readiness Indicators

4

•Research driven - Changes driven by research and evidence from a decade of working w/writing assessments in high school, college, post-graduate, and the workplace

•National Curriculum Survey Research, 2011 NAEP Writing Framework research, participation in creation of CCSS, and ACT’s College Readiness Standards

•Writing Competencies Framework – Developed to guide ACT’s continuum of writing assessments

from elementary school to career

Enhanced Optional Writing Test(Fall 2015)

5

• New Scores – Subject test score plus scores for four important

domains: ideas and analysis, development and support, organization, language use

– 3 digit score (similar to ACT Aspire)– Writing score does not affect Composite Score

• Timing– Currently 30 mins. May increase slightly –

dependent upon results from research studies• Sample Prompt – (available now)

Enhanced Optional Writing Test

6

• Optional – to provide maximum flexibility for students & costs

• Subject tests: math, reading, and science

• Timing – 30 mins.• Administration – must be in same window with selected-

response tests, but not necessarily on same day

• Score – combined results from selected-response and constructed-response tests

• Score Scale – same as 3 digit ACT Aspire score; 1-36 remains for subject and Composite scores

• Sample items & content specifications – available late Summer 2014

Optional Constructed-Response Questions

7

• First ever computer based undergraduate college admissions test

• Launched Spring 2014 – 4,000 students/ 80 schools from across U.S.

• 2015 – Select have been invited to participate

• Spring 2016 – Expanded release as an option for State and district testing

• CBT or other assessments - for National, International, and Residual testing will be considered

ACT CBT Administration

8

• Items - Same number of items as paper & pencil (215) and covers same content

• Timing – Maybe slightly different by mode for particular subject tests (Timing study –Fall 2013; Mode comparison study – Spring 2014)

• Administration – Within a defined window vs one day P & P

• Not adaptive• Computers - CBT administered on school controlled desktop/laptop

only

• College/NCAA acceptance – ACT research designed to ensure the 1-36 ACT scores reported for students reflect the same level of achievement w/o regard to mode

• Practice Test – Online tutorial to help student learn to navigate the system

ACT CBT Administration

9

• Score Scale - 1-36 will not change

• Additional scores and indicators - to give students, parents, educators more detailed information for planning for future success

• Reporting categories (added in 2016)

– Expanded number of categories compared to current subtests– Based on ACT College Readiness Standards– Aligned to state assessment requirements

• Preparing colleges receiving ACT scores – – Any report file layout modification details will be communicated

to higher education institutions

Enhanced Reporting

10

• Visit- www.act.org/actnext• Contact Liaison:

– AL: Gennine Holley, gennine.brewer@act.org– AR: Rick Bryant, rick.bryant@act.org– FL: Cari Lousch, cari.lousch@act.org– GA: Jackie Pearson, jackie.pearson@act.org– KY: Lynn Hunley, lynn.hunley@act.org– LA: John Clark, john.clark@act.org– MS: Wes Gentry, wes.gentry@act.org– NC: Jacque Twiggs, jacque.twiggs@act.org– OK: Judy Trice, judy.trice@act.org– PR: Carl Forbes, carl.forbes@act.org– SC: Mike DiNicola, mike.dinicola@act.org– TN: Donna Mason, donna.mason@act.org– TX: Sue Wheeler, sue.wheeler@act.org– VA: Chris Hansen, chris.hansen@act.org

For more information about What’s Next with the ACT

11

February 1-4, 2015

Mobile, ALRemember ...