{{CurrentPage.Title}}

• School Establishment: For Spring 2025 testing, ISBE provided school information to ACT from its Entity Profile System (EPS) . On November 6, 2024, district superintendents, school principals, high school test coordinators, and district test coordinators listed in EPS received an email prompting them to create an account in ACT Now, the test administration setup application. These individuals should begin setting up for testing. Setup activities include, but are not limited to, confirming or declining participation, selecting the Test Event Dates for the ACT with Writing, and adding other testing staff as needed. On January 6, 2025, details for the PreACT Secure and PreACT 9 Secure assessments became visible in ACT Now to allow setup activities for each of these assessments. Each of the three required assessments (ACT with Writing, PreACT Secure, and PreACT 9 Secure) must be setup separately in ACT Now for each invited school/program no later than February 14, 2025. ​Make sure your email system allows the following domains:
• @operations.act.org
• @act.org
• Contact Information
• ACT Phone: 855-730-0400
  
• Option 1 for state ACT with Writing
• Option 2 for PreACT Secure Assessments
• January through May 2025 Hours: 6am- 6pm CST
• Regular Hours: 8:30am – 5pm CST ​
  
• PreACT Secure and PreACT 9 Secure Email: preact@act.org
• ACT with Writing Email: statetesting@act.org​
  
• ACT with Writing Accommodations Phone: 800-553-6244 ext. 1788
• ACT with Writing Accommodations Email: actstateaccoms@act.org​
  
• Welcome to ACT: An Overview​
• Illinois ACT State Testing Office Hours-Register Now!
  
• ACT FAQ (June 7, 2024)
  
• ACT User Role Matrix (Posted 10/17/2024)
  
• ​Layout Requirements for ACT User Role Matrix
• ​CSV Template for ACT User Role Matrix
• Technical Guide for Online Testing
  
• ACT Writing Test Scoring Rubric 
• ACT Calculator Policy 
• Desmos Calculator 
• Diploma Exemption Documents
  Submit a diploma exemption only for a student who will be scheduled to receive a regular high school diploma before the next administration of the state's final accountability assessment (i.e., ACT with Writing or grade 11 DLM-AA) and hasn't tested or been identified in SIS as being exempt or for a student whose exemption was not identified through ISBE SIS programming according to the flowchart document. If your district believes there is evidence in SIS of an exemption, please write to assessment@isbe.net for verification before completing any of the diploma exemption paperwork.
• Instructions for Secure Submission to ISBE
  
• Exemption Request form
  
• Certification of Request form​​
  

• Illinois Assessment Update Webinars (under "Presentations and Webinars")
• Illinois Assessment Update Webinar Archive
• ​ACT Overview
  

ACT will host several webinar trainings to assist educators on a wide array of topics. Details and registration links are provided below.​ All webinars will be recorded and available On Demand after the webinar has concluded.

• Webinar: ACT with Writing, PreACT Secure, and PreACT 9 Secure Data – Understanding Student Roster Reports and School and District Data
  Tuesday, March 18, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Intended Audience: Staff responsible for reviewing student data and reports.
  • Description: This webinar will cover the process of logging in to the ACT Online Reporting System and selecting the data reports that best meet your needs. Reports demonstrated will include school and district student roster reports with ACT with Writing, PreACT Secure (grade 10), and PreACT 9 Secure (grade 9) test data. School and district ACT Composite scores, Subject test scores, and additional data reports will also be included to help begin data conversations.
  • Now Available On Demand: ACT with Writing, PreACT Secure, and PreACT 9 Secure Data – Understanding Student Roster Reports and School and District Data
• Webinar: The ACT Online Reporting System
  Thursday, March 6, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Intended Audience: Staff responsible for reviewing student data and reports.
  • Description: This one-hour webinar will introduce staff in Illinois to the ACT Online Reporting System. It is here that staff will access individual student and school- and district-level data. For those who want to know what the system looks like and how it operates, this webinar will provide that preview. In addition to how the system works, participants will have the opportunity to see sample data for ACT with Writing, PreACT Secure (grade 10), and PreACT 9 Secure (grade 9).
  • Now Available On Demand: The ACT Online Reporting System
• PreACT 9 Secure & PreACT Secure Test Day Webinar
  Thursday, February 6, 2025, 3:30pm – 4:30pm CT
  • Intended Audience: Test Coordinators
  • Description: Join ACT to learn about how to administer the PreACT 9 Secure and PreACT Secure online. This session covers how to navigate to Test Center Manager (TCM) from ACT Now and how to complete required activities for test day. Additionally, we will walk through what test day will look like using TCM.
    
  • Now Available On Demand: PreACT 9 Secure & PreACT Secure Test Day Webinar​
    
• Technical Readiness Webinar
  Thursday, January 30, 2025, 3:30pm – 4:30pm CT
  • Intended Audience: Test Coordinators, Technical Coordinators
  • Description: Join ACT to learn about how to prepare to administer the ACT with Writing, PreACT 9 Secure, and PreACT Secure online. This session will cover technological requirements for testing online, how to download the latest version of TestNav and how to complete the tech readiness event prior to testing.
  • Now Available On Demand: Technical Readiness Webinar
• PreACT 9 Secure & PreACT Secure Pre-Test Webinar
  Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 3:30pm – 5:00pm CT
  • Intended Audience: Test Coordinators, Technical Coordinators
  • Description: Join ACT to learn about how to prepare to administer the PreACT 9 Secure and PreACT Secure online. This session covers important tasks and deadlines and how to navigate ACT Now. We will also cover technical readiness requirements to ensure you have the latest version of TestNav and are ready for test day.
  • Now Available On Demand: PreACT 9 Secure & PreACT Secure Pre-Test Webinar
• The ACT with Writing Test Day Webinar
  Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 3:30pm – 4:30pm CT
  • Intended Audience: Test Coordinators, Room Supervisors, Proctors
  • Description: Join ACT to learn about how to prepare to administer the ACT with Writing. The focus of this webinar is on how to navigate and complete required tasks in Test Center Manager (TCM). This session will provide training related to accessing TCM from the ACT Now platform, how to create rooms and submit irregularities.
  • Now Available On Demand: The ACT with Writing Test Day Webinar
• The ACT with Writing Pre-Test Webinar
  Wednesday, November 6, 2024, 3:30pm – 4:30pm CT
  • Intended Audience: Test Coordinators
  • Description: Join ACT to learn about how to complete pre-test administration tasks and prepare to administer the ACT with Writing. This session will provide training related to how to get started with and navigate ACT Now as well as walk through all required tasks that must be completed prior to test day. We will also answer general questions related to the ACT Now platform and provide an introduction to Test Center Manager (TCM).
    
  • ​Now Available On Demand: The ACT with Writing Pre-Test Webinar
• The ACT with Writing Accommodations and English Learner (EL) Supports Webinar
  Thursday, October 17, 2024, 3:30pm – 4:30pm CT
  • Intended Audience: Staff responsible for submitting and managing accommodations and EL supports requests. (Test Accommodations Coordinators - TAC)
  • Description: Join ACT to learn about administering the statewide ACT with Writing with accommodations and EL supports. This session will provide training related to the Test Accessibility and Accommodations System (TAA) and requesting accommodations/EL supports for the ACT with Writing. We will also answer general questions related to accommodations and EL supports.
  • Now Available On Demand: The ACT with Writing Accommodations and English Learner (EL) Supports Webinar​​
    

IMPORTANT: Accommodations for students with disabilities and supports for English Learners (ELs) are allowed for the ISBE-Provided PreACT 9 Secure, PreACT Secure, and ACT with Writing only for students with accommodations needs documented in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan and for English Learners identified as such in ISBE's Student Information System.

The deadline to apply for ACT-approved accommodations and/or English learner (EL) supports for students scheduled to take the ACT with Writing was February 7, 2025. If your school has a student who is eligible for accommodations and/or EL supports and a request was not submitted to ACT on their behalf by the deadline, there are three options to address this situation, depending on the reason the request was not submitted.

• Options for Students Eligible for Accommodations and/or English Learner Supports for the ACT with Writing (Posted 03/06/2025)
• ACT Accommodations Office Hours-Register Now!​​​
  
• ACT Accessibility Supports Guide
  This resource helps educational teams select appropriate accessibility supports and accommodations for their students for use during the test. Accessibility supports refer to systems, tools, and accommodations that remove barriers for the entire testing population, including examinees identified as having disabilities and English learners (ELs), as well as examinees who do not have a disability. All examinees need to be able to communicate fairly and effectively what they know and can do when they take a test. ACT provides accessibility supports that include the following:
  • Universal supports
  • Designated supports
  • English learner supports
  • Accommodations
• Consent to Release Information to ACT form
• Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) User Guide
  Staff will use TAA to request examinees' accommodations or English Learner (EL) supports and receive Decision Notifications.
• Preparing for the ACT® Test: Testing with Alternate Formats
  This resource includes information about preparing for the ACT test with ACT-authorized alternate format accommodations, information about the multiple-choice and writing sections, test-taking strategies, and what to expect on test day.
  
• ACT-Authorized Bilingual Word-to-Word Dictionaries
• Accessibility Supports Guide for PreACT Secure Assessments
  The supports listed in the current version of this guide will be available in spring 2025. Accessibility supports refer to systems, tools, and accommodations that remove barriers for the entire testing population, including examinees identified as having disabilities and English learners (ELs), as well as examinees who do not have a disability. All examinees need to be able to communicate fairly and effectively what they know and can do when they take a test. ACT provides accessibility supports that include the following:
  • Universal supports
  • Designated supports
  • English learner supports
  • Accommodations​​
    
• PreACT Secure Accommodations and EL Supports details are posted on the ACT-hosted website for Illinois for PreACT Secure under the heading “Manage Accommodations and English Learner (EL) Supports"​
  
• PreACT 9 Secure Accommodations and EL Supports details are posted on the ACT-hosted website for Illinois for PreACT 9 Secure under the heading “Manage Accommodations and English Learner (EL) Supports"​​​
  

ACT with Writing Resources

• The ACT with Writing Online Practice Test
  IMPORTANT: Click on “Practice Tests" once you have navigated to the TestNav sign on page. No log in credentials are needed. Note: The Preparing for the ACT Test contains a scoring guide with directions for computing the scale score from 1-36.
  
• Preparing for the ACT Test
  This resource contains a full-length practice ACT with Writing test, test details, test-taking strategies, what to expect on test day, and a link to a Spanish version of this resource. In Illinois, the writing section is required. Please note that the full-length practice ACT with Writing test in this resource mirrors the online practice test linked below.
• Preparing for the ACT Test: Testing with Alternate Formats
  This resource includes information about preparing for the ACT test with ACT-authorized alternate format accommodations, information about the multiple-choice and writing sections, test-taking strategies, and what to expect on test day. In Illinois, the writing section is required.
• Preparing for the ACT Test Taken Online
  This resource includes instructions for taking online practice tests, as well as highlighted features and navigation of the secure web application in which students will take the test.
• Alternate Format Practice Tests
  Schools may order free alternate format practice tests by completing and mailing this form.​​
  

PreACT Secure Resources-Grade 10

• PreACT Secure Online Practice Test
  IMPORTANT: Click on “Practice Tests" once you have navigated to the TestNav sign on page. No log in credentials are needed. Notes: (1) The first 2 sections provide a “Main Overview” and “Content Overview” followed by the practice test in section 3. (2) The scoring guide provides directions for which items to include when computing the scale score from 1-35. (3) The heading on each navigation page displays “PreACT 09” in the top banner, but the practice items are for PreACT Secure.
• PreACT Secure Practice Test Scoring Guide​
  
• Preparing for PreACT Secure
  This resource contains test-taking strategies and tips, what to expect on test day, and information about test sections.
• Preparing for the PreACT Secure Test Taken Online
  This resource contains instructions for taking online, multiple-choice practice tests and highlights features and navigation of TestNav, the secure web application in which students will take the practice and actual tests.
• Preparing for PreACT Secure (web content) 
  

PreACT 9 Secure Resources-Grade 9

• PreACT 9 Secure Online Practice Test
  IMPORTANT: Click on “Practice Tests" once you have navigated to the TestNav sign on page. No log in credentials are needed. Notes: (1) The first 2 sections provide a “Main Overview” and “Content Overview” followed by the practice test in section 3. (2) The scoring guide provides directions for which items to include when computing the scale score from 1-32.
• PreACT 9 Secure Practice Test Scoring Guide
  
• Preparing for PreACT 9 Secure 
  This resource contains test-taking strategies and tips, what to expect on test day, and information about test sections.
  

• ACT Data Office Hours-Starting in April​
  
• ACT/SAT Concordance
  ACT and the College Board have completed a concordance study that is designed to examine the relationship between scores on the ACT test and the SAT. These concordance tables do not equate scores, but rather provide a tool for finding comparable scores.
• ACT Technical Manual (dated January 2024)
• PreACT Secure Technical Manual (dated August 2023)​
  

• Spring 2024 SAT with Essay, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9
• Spring 2017 to Spring 2023​​​​​