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1. The ALSDE requires that Test Administrators/Room Supervisors must be certificated employees. Proctors must be full-time employees involved with the education of examinees.

2. No relative of an examinee who is taking the test may serve as a Room Supervisor or Proctor for that examinee.

3. Anyone who coaches high school or college athletics may not serve as the Room Supervisor for one-on-one testing of a student athlete. An athletic coach may serve as the Room Supervisor if there is more than one examinee in the room.

4. No student or student teacher may serve as a Room Supervisor or Proctor.

5. A Proctor is required for every 25 examinees after the first 25 in the room.

General Alerts

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6. Room Supervisors and Proctors must participate in BOTH test administration training prior to test date and attend a briefing session on test day.

7. Room Supervisors and Proctors must read and understand specific responsibilities listed on pages 10-11 of the Administration Manual.

8. Before Test day, Room Supervisors and Proctors administering paper/pencil tests must be familiar with ACT’s Administration Manual; hereafter, this document will be referred to as the Administration Manual.

9. Room Supervisors and Proctors must be familiar with the alerts contained in the ACT Plus Writing Paper/Pencil Alerts for Room Supervisors and Proctors. Hereafter, this document will be referred to as Alerts for Room Supervisors and Proctors.

10. Room Supervisors and Proctors must be familiar with the Answer Document Supplement provided with materials.

General Alerts, continued

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11. Testing staff must account for materials each time they change hands and before dismissing examinees.

12.Test materials must be secure at all times. Test materials must be kept in a secure location as examinees enter and exit the test room. A test room must never be left unattended, even if only one examinee is in the room.

13.Testing should not begin for any student who has not completed the pre-test session prior to test date. Dismiss any student who has not completed the pre-test session.

14.Testing must begin by 9:00 a.m. in all rooms on both the initial and makeup test dates. Testing begins when the Room Supervisor starts reading the Verbal Instructions. If testing begins after 9:00 a.m. in any room, scores for that room may be cancelled.

General Alerts, continued

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15.The manual contains instructions for both Plus Writing and No Writing; therefore, at certain points within the Administration Manual, the instructions will vary.

16.Since Alabama will administer the ACT Plus Writing, you must follow and read instructions for the ACT Plus Writing. These instructions are printed in bold, color text. Arrows will direct you to specific pages to continue your administration.

17.When the instructions split into two columns, ACT (No Writing) is always in the left-hand column and ACT Plus Writing is always in the right-hand column. Make sure you read the correct instructions.

Important Reminders

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18. Testing rooms, including classrooms, must offer adequate testing conditions.

19. As in the administration of all standardized tests, seats must be arranged so that all examinees face the Room Supervisor. No examinees may be seated at ends of tables or facing other examinees. Test rooms must be set up according to ACT requirements. If these requirements are not met, scores may be cancelled.

20. Tables must be arranged so that all spacing requirements are met. Examinees must all face the same direction. Use the following rules to seat examinees:• ROUND TABLES: only one examinee per round table, regardless

of size.• TABLES LESS THAN 6 FEET: only one examinee per table.• TABLES 6 TO 9 FEET: only two examinees per table. If 6-foot

tables are used to seat two examinees, a 3-foot space is required between the examinees.

Preparing Test Room

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21. The testing room must offer adequate writing surfaces, uncrowded seating, good lighting, comfortable temperature, a quiet atmosphere, and freedom from distraction.

22. Lapboards are not allowed.23. Make sure bulletin board materials related to potential test questions

(mathematics, reading, etc.), charts, and maps that provide strategies for solving problems or writing essays are removed or covered. Geographical maps and periodic tables need not be covered.

24. Each Room Supervisor must have two reliable timepieces in the room: one must be an accurate clock or watch that shows the actual time of day; ACT recommends that the second be a stopwatch or interval timer.

25. Cellphones may NOT be used as a timer.26. A seating diagram is required and is on page A-4 of the Administration

Manual. If this diagram does not reasonably fit your room, complete all sections and draw your diagram on a separate sheet of paper and attach it to the seating diagram.

Preparing the Test Room, Continued

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27. School personnel involved in administration of state testing may NOT use digital devices (including but not limited to smart watches, telephones, cell phones, MP3 players, cameras, or other telecommunication devices capable of capturing or relaying information) during test administration. Violations may result in disciplinary action/certification revocation. Additional disciplinary action may be taken by the Local Education Agency (LEA).

28. All copiers, scanners, printers, telephones and other electronic devices must be disabled or removed from the testing room before testing begins.

29. Reading (except this manual or supplemental policy information), grading papers, using a computer, cell phone, recording or media device, talking casually with other staff, or engaging in any activity in the test room not directly related to the administration is NOT allowed.

30. Failure to report any irregularity is a test security violation. All irregularities involving staff must be reported on the ALSDE Irregularity Report.

Possession of Prohibited Items by Testing Staff

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31. Materials needed for testing include the following:• ACT Administration Manual (one manual for the Room

Supervisor and one manual for each Proctor who will be assisting in the testing room)

• ACT Plus Writing Paper/Pencil Alerts for Room Supervisors and Proctors

• ACT Plus Writing Testing Irregularity Report • Roster of examinees to be tested• ACT Testing Time Verification Form • Seating diagram • Supply of soft-lead No. 2 pencils (no ink or mechanical

pencils)

Approved Test Materials to Be Provided for Testing

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32.ACT has provided the school with barcode labels which must be applied to your ACT Plus Writing Answer Folders (answer documents).

33.You (or staff designated by the BTC) must apply the barcode labels to the answer documents before examinees are scheduled to complete the demographic sections.

34.Each answer document has a shaded barcode label area on the back page where the barcode label is to be placed. Do NOT place the barcode label in any other location on the answer document. It can only be scanned when affixed in the proper place and at the proper orientation.

Barcode Labels

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35. The Verbal Instructions for completing the non-test portions of the answer document in a scheduled session at school before test day begin on page 19 of the Administration Manual.

36.Whether or not a barcode label is present, examinees must still grid the identifying information on the front and back pages of their answer document during the pretest session. If this is not done accurately and completely, the examinee’s ACT score report may be undeliverable.

37.Basic identifying information (front and back pages) are required for all examinees. The ALSDE did not provide examinee addresses. If an examinee wishes to receive information at his or her home, the examinee must enter and grid the home address in the appropriate boxes.

Completing Non-Test Portions Before Test Day

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38. If an examinee has not completed any of the above mentioned sections before the initial test date, that examinee is NOT permitted to test. Instead, the student must be scheduled for makeup testing. The Building Test Coordinator (BTC) must arrange for the student to complete the non-test portions before the makeup test date. If the student does not complete the non-test portion before the makeup test date, the student cannot test on the makeup date.

39. Non-test portions of the answer document may NOT be completed on ANY test date—not before and not after any of the tests. If examinees are allowed to complete any of the non-test portions on test day, or are allowed to handle answer documents after testing, the answer documents will NOT be scored or scores will be cancelled.

40. Providing a student’s social security number is optional. ACT will not add this information later to the state’s file. Do not place any other number in Block C.

Completing Non-Test Portions Before Test Day, Continued

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41. Examinees are instructed to leave Block K of the answer document blank. The high school code has been provided for all examinees with a label.

42. If a high school code must be entered in Block K, staff must grid the correct code on the answer document.

43. Block L asks if the examinee wishes to participate in the A-C-T Educational Opportunity Service (EOS). Through EOS, ACT provides information about ACT-tested examinees to colleges and universities, scholarship organizations, and other organizations so they may contact examinees about programs and opportunities that they may be interested in exploring. EOS will not receive test scores.

44. Do not enter any information in Block S.45. ALSDE has requested additional information using Block V on the answer

document. This section is required only for students testing with accommodations. School staff must answer the questions after testing is complete; examinees should not complete any part of this section.

46. Verbal instructions about basic identifying information and high school course/grade information are on pages 19-21.

Completing Non-Test Portions Before Test Day, Continued

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47. All Room Supervisors must complete items A and B on the Test Booklet Count Form (A-3) of the Administration Manual when they receive test booklets from the Test Coordinator.

48. The Room Supervisor must sign and the Test Coordinator must initial under “Received Before Testing” to verify that the number of booklets recorded is the number in the Room Supervisor’s possession.

49. All Room Supervisors complete item C during Test 1 and item D after Test 4.

50. Room Supervisors must also complete item E after the Writing Test.51. After testing, ALL Room Supervisors must immediately return all

materials to the Test Coordinator and complete item F. The Room Supervisor must initial and the Test Coordinator must sign to verify that the number of answer documents and test booklets returned to the Test Coordinator equals the number transferred to the Room Supervisor.

Distributing Materials – The Chain of Custody

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52. Control who enters and leaves the room at all times. All examinees are required to present an acceptable form of photo identification or be personally recognized (face-to-face) by a school faculty member before being admitted to the test room.

53. Do NOT allow an examinee to enter the room unless the Room Supervisor has verified the student’s identification and documented this on the roster. Acceptable identification can be found on pages 25-27 of the Administration Manual. Never ask students their names.

54. Mark the roster to indicate the type of ID accepted for each examinee.

55. Identification issued or verified by a relative or another student is NOT allowed.

56. Do not delay testing waiting for an examinee to bring identification. Do not allow testing of late examinees.

Important Guidelines for Room Supervisors

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57. Examinees should not be allowed to select their own seats. The Room Supervisor will record examinees’ names on a seating diagram prior to the scheduled test administration.

58. Once examinees are checked in, the Room Supervisor will write ABSENT beside the examinee’s name for any examinee who is not present for testing.

59. Absolutely NO ONE may be admitted to the test room after test booklets have been distributed. If this policy is violated, the answer documents for the examinees admitted late will NOT be scored.

60. The Building Test Coordinator (BTC) will determine if makeup exams will be ordered for late arrivals.

61. The tests must be administered in the order listed. If this order is altered, the answer documents will not be scored.

62. Room Supervisors must administer tests according to standard testing procedures. All directions must be read verbatim.

63. At no time may the Room Supervisor leave the room unattended.

Important Guidelines for Room Supervisors, continued

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64. Examinees must use No. 2 pencils with erasers (no mechanical pencils). Highlighters, colored pens or pencils, and mechanical pencils are NOT allowed.

65. The use of scratch paper is NOT permitted.66. Examinees should NOT be allowed to bring any electronic devices, cell

phones, calculator watches, watches with timers or alarms, smart watches, unapproved calculators, foreign language or other dictionaries, textbooks, backpacks, or other bags (including purses) into the testing room. Access to any prohibited item is not allowed, even during break.

67. Neither examinees nor staff may have access to food or beverages, including water, except during the scheduled break.

68. Throughout testing, walk quietly around the room to discourage and detect prohibited behavior. Staff attentiveness is a very effective deterrent.

69. Document all prohibited behavior and any actions you take on the ACT Irregularity Report.

70. Examinees may look at and work only on the current test.

Important Guidelines for Room Supervisors, continued

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71. The possession of a digital device (including but not limited to scell phones, MP3 players, cameras, or other telecommunication devices capable of capturing or relaying information) is strictly prohibited during the administration of a secure test. School personnel will collect such devices before examinees can enter the testing room. If an examinee is observed in possession of a digital device during the administration of a secure test, the device will be confiscated.

72. If an examinee is observed using a digital device during the administration of a secure test, testing for the examinee will cease, the device will be confiscated and is subject to search, the examinee will be dismissed from testing, and the examinee’s test will be invalidated. Additional disciplinary action may be taken by the LEA.

73. All Room Supervisors and Proctors must be familiar with prohibited behaviors printed on pages 37-38 of the Administration Manual.

Prohibited Behaviors and Irregularities for Examinees

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74.Examinees are allowed, but not required, to use an approved calculator on the Mathematics test. Use of a calculator is optional.

75.Unless a calculator is provided by the school, each examinee is responsible for bringing his/her calculator and making sure it works properly.

76.Although examinees may bring backup calculators, an examinee may have only one calculator on his or her desk at a time.

77.Examinees are NOT allowed to share calculators.78.Although the AHSGE calculators may be checked out for use

on the ACT mathematics test, these calculators are merely 4-function calculators and are not optimal for ACT testing.

Calculators

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79. Examinees may take the ACT Plus Writing ONLY with accommodations specifically authorized in advance by ACT. ACT will send an authorization letter to be shared with the examinee.

80. Allowed accommodations that do NOT require ACT approval (i.e., small group, seated in front of room, individually with standard time) must be administered on either April 28 or May 12 using standard testing materials.

81. ACT assigns test materials by serial number to each examinee. These are listed on the Test Materials Distribution List. Only the authorized examinee may use the materials assigned to him or her; they may NOT be used by another examinee or transferred to any other location. Tests administered using materials assigned to another examinee or transferred from any other location will NOT be scored.

Accommodated Testing

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82.The tests must be administered in the order listed. If this order is altered, the answer documents will not be scored or scores will be cancelled.

83.Verbal Instructions for administration of the ACT Plus Writing standard tests are found on pages 40-57 of the Administration Manual. Verbal instructions must be read verbatim.

84.As soon as testing begins for each test, the Room Supervisor must record the exact time that testing starts, the time for the 5 minutes remaining warning, and the stop time in the spaces indicated on page A-5 of the Administration Manual.

Verbal Instructions for Standard Time Testing

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85.Extreme care must be taken to ensure the exact time is allowed for each test. Mistiming may result in the cancellation of scores.

86.The full time for each test must be given, even if one or all examinees in the room finish a test before the allowed time elapses.

87.Do NOT use a cell phone as one of your timepieces.88.As you begin timing each test, enter the actual Start time

(e.g., 8:42) in the box on the appropriate Verbal Instructions page. Calculate the Stop time, then the verbal announcement of 5 minutes remaining (subtract 5 minutes from the Stop time) and enter those times in the appropriate boxes in the manual. You may use the chart provided for each test to calculate the times.

Timing the Tests

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89. You must enter the actual times of day you announce START, 5 minutes remaining, and STOP on the form provided on page A-5 of the Administration Manual. (Do not merely copy this information from the timing boxes used to calculate Start, 5 minutes remaining, and Stop.

90. A verbal announcement of time remaining MUST be made five minutes before the end of each test.

91. Posting the Start and Stop times or time allowed for each test on the board is optional.

92. As soon as testing begins for each test, the Room Supervisor must record the exact time that testing starts, the time for the 5 minutes remaining warning, and the stop time in the spaces indicated on pages provided within the verbal instructions. Once testing is complete, transfer these times to the ACT Testing Time Verification Form or the ACT Administration Report.

 

Timing the Tests, continued

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93.ACT requires that you allow a break of 15 minutes at the end of Test 2.

94.The break may NOT include lunch. If it does, scores for all examinees may be cancelled.

95.Do not delay or lengthen the break in your room to wait for other rooms. You MUST resume testing no later than 15 minutes after STOP is called on Test 2.

96. If the break is longer than 15 minutes, explain why on the Irregularity Report.

97.Breaks longer than 15 minutes will be questioned and may result in cancelled scores.

98.Do not leave the test room unattended.

Break After Test 2

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99. Once the multiple-choice test booklets have been collected and verified after Test 4, allow examinees a 5-minute break to relax and sharpen their pencils before the Writing Test.100.Do NOT leave the test room unattended.101.Resume testing after five minutes.102.Do NOT distribute the Writing Test booklets during the break.

Break Before Writing Test

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103.Examinees may go to the restroom during testing, but it is best not to announce it.

104.Examinees who leave the test room during a timed test or return after timing has begun may NOT make up lost time. The absence need not be recorded on the Irregularity Report.

105.If two or more examinees are permitted to leave at the same time, or if other rooms have been dismissed, the examinees must be accompanied by a Proctor.

106.If no Proctor is available, only one examinee may leave the room at a time.

107.Do not leave a test room unsupervised at any time.

Examinees Who Leave During a Test and Return

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108.If examinees ask about guessing, refer them to the instructions printed on the front cover of the test booklet.

109.Do not comment on or add in any way to the printed directions.

110.Complete an Irregularity Report if an examinee challenges typographical errors in the booklet or ambiguities in particular test items. Tell the examinee to answer the item as written and report the details of the challenge to you after the test is over.

Guessing and Test Item Challenges

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111.The test booklets and used answer documents should be placed in Testing Roster order. All test materials must be collected and confirmed before examinees are allowed to leave the testing room.

112.All materials must be inventoried and returned with the ACT Test Booklet Count Form (A-2) to the BTC. Materials that must be returned to the BTC include the following:• ACT Administration Manual • Class roster • Seating diagram • ACT Time Verification Form (A-5)• Irregularity Forms (if applicable)

 

After Testing