Approximately 6,000 Students Took Online Version of the ACT in Recent Weeks

Iowa City, Iowa —ACT officially launched the online version of the ACT® test for its state and district testing program this past month. Approximately 6,000 high school students across the United States took the ACT on a computer at national test centers and in high school classrooms over the past few weeks, earning college-reportable scores.

“The administration of the online ACT went smoothly,” said Jon Erickson, ACT president. “We are very excited about the results and the continued growth and development of our online ACT program. ACT’s goal is to increase student access to higher education, and we believe technology will be a valuable tool in helping us to reach this goal.”

It was the second time that ACT has administered the test in an online format with college-reportable scores. Approximately 4,000 students took the online version a year ago in a pilot administration.

“We learned a great deal from last year’s successful pilot, and we applied those lessons to help fine tune the online experience for examinees,” said Erickson. ”This is part of ACT’s efforts to continuously improve our programs on a measured, gradual basis to avoid radical changes for students.”

The content of the online exam was the same as that of the paper-and-pencil version, and students’ scores will mean the same in terms of level of achievement for this administration.

“We aren’t changing the curriculum-based content of the ACT test,” said Erickson. “We’re simply providing another way to take the exam, employing the advanced technology that most students are accustomed to using on a daily basis.”

The online ACT will initially be offered on an optional basis only to high schools that administer the exam to all students as part of their districtwide or statewide assessment programs. It will not be offered on the ACT national, Saturday morning test dates at this time. Delivery of the online ACT for statewide and districtwide testing will be expanded next spring.

Featured

  • Indiana Wesleyan University Schedules Grand Opening for New Welcome Center

    Indiana Wesleyan University recently announced that it will soon open a new Welcome Center on its campus in Marion, Ind., according to a news release. The facility will serve as the home base for prospective students and their families to learn more about the university and student life there. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 19.

  • Houston K–12 District Opens New Elementary School

    The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (Lamar CISD) recently announced the completion of a new elementary school in a western suburb of Houston, Texas, according to a news release. Haygood Elementary School measures in at 110,000 square feet, has the capacity for 854 students, and is the first of three new schools scheduled to be built in the Cross Creek West community.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.