ACT ASPIRE
WHAT IS ACT ASPIRE?
 ACT Aspire is a new testing program from American College Testing
(ACT).
 Do not shorten the name; especially at the middle school and high
school levels, we cannot have students/parents confused about this
assessment program, ACT Aspire, and ACT, which is used for college
admissions.
 This is especially important for students who receive Accessibility Supports (ie
Accommodations) on the ACT Aspire. When students take the ACT for college
admissions, they have to apply in advance for accommodations on testing. We are
allowed to provide approved Accessibility Supports that may not be provided on the
ACT.
HOW ARE WE USING IT IN GCISD?
Reading and Math, grades 3-9
Determine college and career readiness (Index 4
on State Accountability)
Assess growth during the school year
(Superintendent’s Goal)
Replaces MAP and some district benchmarks
ACT Aspire
Periodic
Interim Assessments (3)
September, November,
February
Classroom Assessments
(5)
As they occur in
curriculum
Summative
Summative Assessment
May
ONLINE ASSESSMENT
 It is a Pearson product; it will look familiar to those who’ve
administered TELPAS online reading, STAAR L, or an EOC online.
 Teacher will start/stop testing from the teacher computer.
 May use iPads
 Test Nav app
 Guided Access
 May use Chromebooks
 May use Computers in the Labs
TIMING
Interim Assessments (Sept./Nov./Feb)
 45 minutes each subject
Classroom Assessments (As needed in curriculum pacing)
 15-20 minutes each subject
Summative Assessments (May)
 Reading: 60 minutes
 Math
 Grades 3-5: 55 minutes
 Grades 6-7: 60 minutes
 Grades 8-9: 65 minutes
PERIODIC ASSESSMENT GUIDE
ROOM SUPERVISOR (TEACHER)
RESPONSIBILITIES P.5
 Read and thoroughly understand the policies, procedures,
and instructions in this guide and other training materials
provided.
 Supervise a test room.
 Start a test session.
 Help students log in to the online testing system.
 Read test instructions
 Walk around the testing room during testing to be sure
students are working on the correct test and to
observe student behavior
ROOM SUPERVISOR (TEACHER)
RESPONSIBILITIES P.5
Monitor the online testing system as needed.
Pay careful attention to monitoring students’
behavior during the entire testing session.
Collect and account for all authorization tickets
and scratch paper before dismissing students.
Ensure students have stopped testing and have
correctly logged out of the online testing system.
Complete documentation of any irregularities.
TEST DAY PROCEDURES
P. 6
 Verbal Instructions must be read verbatim.
 Teachers/test proctors should ACTIVELY monitor test sessions.
 Walk quietly through the room while testing.
 Answer any student question about test content with , “Do your best.”
 After testing, collect all scratch paper and student authorization tickets.
 Ensure that students submit their responses and you see a “Completed”
status on your proctor screen.
ROOM SUPERVISOR MANUAL
This manual is for use with the summative assessment that will be given in May,
but contains information that applies to all ACT Aspire testing. It will be
provided at a later date.
STANDARDIZED PROHIBITED PROCEDURES
P. 2-3 ROOM SUPERVISOR MANUAL
 aiding or assisting a student with a response or answer to a
secure test item, including providing formulas
 rephrasing test questions for students
 creating an answer key or “crib sheet” of answers to test
questions
 editing or changing student answers after completion of the
test, with or without the student’s permission
 allowing students to test in an unsupervised setting
STANDARDIZED PROHIBITED PROCEDURES
P. 2-3 ROOM SUPERVISOR MANUAL
 leaving test materials in an unsecured place or
unattended
 failing to properly report and document incidents of
prohibited behavior involving students, staff, or others
 allowing students to test longer than the permitted
time
 failing to return and account for all testing materials
after the testing session has ended
CALCULATORS
 Not allowed for grades 3-5, regardless of IEP
 Grade 6-9 will have embedded calculator tool
 Grade 6-9 may use a school provided calculator if stated in IEP
SCRATCH PAPER
 Students need to be provided scratch paper and pencils.
 If a student uses scratch paper, please have the student write at the top:
 First and Last Name
 School Name
 Subject (reading or math)
 Grade
 Used scratch paper must be collected and returned to the campus
testing coordinator, who will destroy it.
DICTIONARIES
 English dictionaries may not be used by any student.
 Word-to-Word dictionaries for Languages Other than English may be
used if the student’s LPAC paper work designates the use of a
dictionary
BATHROOM BREAKS
 Pause the test.
 Student goes one at a time
 Must report the “Irregularity” in the ACT Aspire Portal
 Time does not stop for the restroom break.
 Just like STAAR
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
 Must be collected/stored away from student during testing
PROHIBITED STUDENT BEHAVIORS
 looking at someone else’s computer screen or scratch paper
 giving or receiving assistance
 disturbing other students
 using notes or unauthorized testing aids
 using a calculator on any test other than the Grades 6–Early High
School (Grades 9–10) Mathematics test
 sharing a calculator with another student
PROHIBITED STUDENT BEHAVIORS
 using any device to share or exchange information at any time during
the tests, during break, or after testing (All electronic communication
devices, including cell phones, must be turned off from the time the
student is admitted to test until dismissal after testing concludes)
 attempting to remove or send test questions or answers from the test
room by any means
 exhibiting confrontational, threatening, or unruly behavior
 creating a disturbance or allowing an alarm or phone to sound in the
test room
PROHIBITED STUDENT BEHAVIORS
 If you SUSPECT, remind the student that the suspected behavior is
prohibited, allow the student to continue testing, closely observe the
student.
 Document suspicion and action in ACT Aspire Portal
 If you OBSEVRE, close the student’s test session,
1.
Call for your CTC who will
 Tell the student his/her test will not be scored
 Call parent
2.
Enter note in irregularity reporting tool in ACT Aspire Portal
REPORTING IRREGULARITIES
 A student engages in any instance of prohibited behavior as outlined
above.
 A student becomes ill or leaves the room during testing.
 A student fails to follow instructions (responds to questions randomly,
obviously does not read questions prior to responding, or refuses to
respond to questions).
 A general disturbance or distraction occurs which could affect one or
more students’ results.
 A student questions the accuracy or validity of an item.
 A student has a technical issue that interrupts testing.
ACCESSIBILITY & ACCOMMODATIONS
Accommodations:
requested in advance
by entering Personal
Needs Profile (PNP)
Open Access Tools:
requested in advance
by entering PNP
Default Embedded
System Tools: available
as needed to ALL
students.
Student
accommodations
are already entered
by the CTC.
MONITORING TEST SESSIONS
Monitoring Test Sessions
 Click on the link above.
 You’ll be prompted to enter your email address; enter it. You’ll go to
the Monitoring Test Sessions Video.
 Watch sections: 1, 2, 3, 4,
TEST NAV 8
Test Nav 8 Training
 Click on the link above.
 You’ll be prompted to enter your email address; enter it. You’ll go to
the Test Nav 8 Training Video.
 Watch Sections: 1,2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
TEST DAY PROCEDURES
 Report to _____________ to collect your testing materials.
 If using a lab, be sure that the computer screen is on the Test Nav student




log in screen.
If using iPads, launch the Test Nav 8 app and start Guided Access.
Log into the ACT Aspire Portal with your teacher login credentials. Find
your test session on the Interim Assessment screen. Start the test session.
Distribute student authorization tickets and scratch paper.
Read the verbal instructions in your ACT Aspire Periodic Assessment
Guide.
 Everyone reads pp. 13-14
 Reading, p. 18
 Mathematics, 16-17
 Everyone reads p. 25
 ACTIVELY MONITOR testing
TEST DAY PROCEDURES
 Actively monitor tests.
 Ensure that students submit their responses
 End the test session
 Collect all scratch paper and student authorizations and return them to
the CTC