ACT The Printable Test Administration Manual - Spring 2026 - State Testing and District Testing

Sep 14, 2026

145

Spring 2026 ACT printable test administration guidance for state testing and district testing across both online and paper formats. Covers standardized procedures and fair testing practices, including test dates, equal treatment, confidentiality, safety, investigations, and the right to terminate. Details accommodations and English learner supports, administration and makeup testing workflows, eligibility rules, ordering and returning materials, technical requirements for online testing, student authorization, login security, and secure destruction of materials after testing.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages103

Reading Time4 h 20 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Policies

General Testing—Paper and Online

Standardized Procedures

Fair Testing Practices

Test Dates

Equal Treatment

Confidentiality

Safety

Investigations

Right to Terminate

Authorized Observers

Unauthorized Observers and Media

Testing with Accessibility Supports

Types of Accessibility Supports

Administration Details—Paper and Online

Makeup Testing—Paper and Online

Eligibility for Makeup Testing

Online Testing

Test Facilities—Paper and Online

Test Staff

Staff Training—Paper and Online

Test Materials

Security of Materials—Paper and Online

Spring 2026 The ACT ® Test Printable Test Administration Manual State Testing | District Testing • Online Testing • Paper Testing • Standard Time • Accommodations and/or English Learner Supports [www.act.org](www.act.org) CONTACTING ACT Business Hours | Days | Times | | --- | --- | | Monday–Friday: | 7:00 a. m.–5:00 p. m. Central time | | First day of the testing window: | 6:00 a. m.–6:00 p. m. Central time | Contact Information for Testing Staff | Type of Question | Phone | Contact Form / Email | | --- | --- | --- | | General, technical, standard time | 800.553.6244, ext. 2800 | [act.org/stateanddistrict/contactus](act.org/stateanddistrict/contactus) | | Accommodations, English learner supports | 800.553.6244, ext. 1788 | [ACTStateAccoms@act.org](ACTStateAccoms@act.org) | Note: The toll-free numbers are for testing staff only. Please do not give these numbers to examinees or parents. Examinees and parents can be directed to [https://www.act.org/](https://www.act.org/)[ ](https://www.act.org/)content/act/en/contact-act. html. Instructions for how to collect, pack, and return materials to ACT can be found in your TCM Post-Test Checklist at the end of this manual. Materials can be returned to the following addresses: White Answer Document Box with Processing Envelope: ACT Processing Center 9200 Earhart Lane Cedar Rapids, IA, 52404 Boxes with Secure Test Materials: ACT Processing Center 7405 Irish Drive SW Cedar Rapids, IA, 52404 © 2026 by ACT Education Corp. All rights reserved. MA23006ACT.CJ22700 2025.01.12 INTRODUCTION The Printable Test Administration Manual contains all test coordinator policy modules and the pre-test and post-test checklists that are located in ACT Test Center Manager (TCM) in one, printer-ready pdf. It is to be used as guidance as you learn more about TCM and how to access and utilize test administration content. The TCM verbal task cards/instructions are not included in this manual. If you are looking for a printable resource outside of TCM, you may access the Printable TCM Task Cards for online testing or the Test Day Instructions for paper testing. All documents are located on your ACThosted web page. Contents Introduction c Policies 1 General Testing—Paper and Online 1 Standardized Procedures 1 Fair Testing Practices 1 Test Dates 1 Equal Treatment 1 Confidentiality 1 Safety 2 Investigations 2 Right to Terminate 2 Authorized Observers 2 Unauthorized Observers and Media 3 Testing with Accessibility Supports 4 Types of Accessibility Supports 4 Administration Details—Paper and Online 4 Makeup Testing—Paper and Online 7 Eligibility for Makeup Testing 7 Makeup Testing—Paper Only 8 Partially Completed Answer Documents 8 Ordering Makeup Materials 8 Materials Included in Kits 8 Makeup Testing—Online Only 9 Makeup for Single-Day Testing 9 Makeup for Multiple-Day Testing 9 Online Testing 10 Testing with the Online Format 10 Technical Requirements 10 Systems for Online Testing 10 Student Authorization Tickets 10 Login Security 10 Collecting and Securely Destroying Materials After Testing 11 Seal Codes 11 Overview of the Online Process 11 Test Facilities—Paper and Online 13 Facility Requirements 13 Introduction 13 Principles of Accessibility 13 Video Monitoring Systems 13 Selecting Facilities 13 Selecting Test Rooms 13 Selecting Test Rooms for Accessibility Supports 14 Room Type, Size, and Setup 14 Seating Arrangements—Paper Testing 15 Seating Arrangements—Online Testing 15 Seating at Tables 16 Work Surfaces 16 Ensuring Quiet Test Sessions 16 Off-Site Testing 16 Sharing an Off-Site Location 17 Seating Arrangement Examples—Paper Testing 18 Seating Arrangement Examples—Online Testing 19 Test Staff 20 Staff Requirements—Paper and Online 20 Selecting Testing Staff 20 Who May Act as Testing Staff 20 Who May Not Act as Testing Staff 20 Relatives

FAQs

What does the Printable Test Administration Manual include for ACT coordinators?

It includes all test coordinator policy modules and the pre-test and post-test checklists located in ACT Test Center Manager (TCM), provided in a printer-ready PDF.

Are TCM verbal task cards and instructions included in this manual?

No. The TCM verbal task cards/instructions are not included; printable alternatives are available through the Printable TCM Task Cards for online testing or the Test Day Instructions for paper testing.

How does the manual handle makeup testing and secure material workflows?

It provides guidance for makeup testing for paper and online, including eligibility and ordering materials, and it explains how to collect, pack, and return materials securely after testing.

Sep 14, 2026

145

Uploaded by Berry Peter