ACT, Inc. has been selected as the college admissions exam vendor for 2020-2021, and can be renewed for an additional two years.
Senate Bill 59 (2022) Amends KRS 158.6453 to delete the tenth-grade college admissions examination. Therefore, only Grade 11 students will take a college admissions exam in the spring of 2023. In addition to the spring college admissions examination for juniors, for this fall only, Governor Beshear announced in May of 2022 that all Kentucky public seniors will have the opportunity to test in the fall of 2022. This exciting announcement will allow Kentucky public seniors two free opportunities to increase ACT scores.
The ACT Senior Retake option and the junior spring administration are online-based examinations. Paper testing will only be available for accommodations that have no online equivalent, including Non-College Reportable (NCR) accommodations.
KDE's primary use of the college admissions exam is to measure students' level of readiness for college in core academic content areas. Meeting benchmarks on the ACT is one-way students may demonstrate academic readiness in the Postsecondary Readiness indicator of the state's accountability system for schools.
Beyond the state use of results, the state-administered college admissions exam also benefits students, their parents and educators in several ways. Administering the college admissions exam as part of the state testing program permits students to take the exam at no cost. The exam is administered during the school day, providing equitable access for all students to participate. Additionally, many organizations that offer merit or academic scholarships will identify and award financial assistance based on scores from a college admissions exam.
The ACT program is a comprehensive system for collecting and reporting information about students planning to enter the workforce or continue with postsecondary education.
The program consists of four major components:
Tests of Educational Development
The multiple-choice tests cover four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading and science. The examinations emphasize reasoning, analysis, problem-solving, and the integration of learning from various sources, as well as the application of these proficiencies to the kinds of tasks that college students are expected to perform.
Course/Grade Information Section
This component provides 30 self-reported high school grades in English, mathematics, natural sciences, social studies, language, and the arts. The courses include those that customarily form the core of a college preparatory curriculum and are frequently required for college admission.
Student Profile Section (SPS)
The SPS contains information reported by students in such categories as educational plans, interests and needs, financial aid, and demographic background information.
The ACT Interest Inventory
This 72-item survey reports scores parallel six interest and occupational types, helping students identify majors consistent with their interests.
More information can be found on the Kentucky ACT website.
Fall 2022 Senior ACT Retake Administration Dates
ACT and OAA have set the Fall 2022 Senior ACT Retake State Administration dates.
Test Window 1
Standard and Accommodated Administration (Online) – October 4-6 & October 11-13
Accommodations Administration (Paper – limited to special circumstances) – October 4-14
Test Window 2
Standard and Accommodated Administration (Online) – October 18-20 & October 25-27
Accommodations Administration (Paper – limited to special circumstances) – October 18-28
State Spring 2023 ACT Administration Dates
ACT and OAA have set the dates for the Spring 2023 State Administration of the ACT. The date is as follows:
Initial Test Window 1
Standard & Accommodated Administration (Online) - March 7-9 & March 14-16
Accommodations Administration (Paper) - March 7-10 & March 13-17
Makeup Test Window 2
Standard & Accommodated Administration (Online) - March 21-23 & March 28-30
Accommodations Administration (Paper) - March 21-24 & March 27-31
Online testing is available only on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week.
Test Preparation
ACT provides free resources to all students, parents, teachers, principals, and other educators. These resources are housed within ACT's Test Preparation website and additional resources are available via individual student MyACT accounts that are created prior to the test administration window. Students can access MyACT via any computer, tablet, Chromebook, or even their smartphones.
Accommodations
Accommodations for students with an Individual Education Program (IEP) and supports for English Learners (ELs) are available for the ACT. A School Test Accommodations Coordinator must request ACT-approved accommodations and EL supports. Students may test with non-college reportable accommodations without prior ACT approval. More information can be found on the Kentucky ACT website.
Score Reporting
Online Score Reports
Students participating in State Testing may view their score reports on the free MyACT student account. College reportable scores are available online three to eight weeks after the test date.
Creating a MyACT Account
Students may create a MyACT account on the MyACT website. If they have questions about creating an account, they may fill out this ACT Contact Web Form.