The ACT with Writing and ACT WorkKeys - Alabama The ACT Plus Writing/ACT WorkKeys The ACT with Writing and ACT WorkKeys - Alabama 2015-2016 Key Dates and Processes Presented by Kellee Forkenbrock, Senior Coordinator Good Morning/Afternoon! I am Kellee Forkenbrock, Senior Coordinator for Alabama State Testing at ACT. I thank you in advance for your time and I will be covering both The ACT with Writing and ACT WorkKeys in today’s overview.

Schedule of Events Review The ACT Resources ACT WorkKeys Resources Agenda What’s New in 2015-16? Schedule of Events Review The ACT Resources ACT WorkKeys Resources To begin our training today, we’ll cover any new updates for 2015-16. We’ll continue with an overview of the testing cycle’s key dates and processes - according to the Schedule of Events (formerly called the Checklist of Dates). Next, we will review resources you will have access to throughout the testing event for both The ACT and WorkKeys – including the state testing website, customer service contact information, quick start guides and the WorkKeys Online practice realm & URL. Let’s begin…

Checklist of Dates = Schedule of Events Chromebooks for ACT Online What’s New in 2015-16? Checklist of Dates = Schedule of Events Chromebooks for ACT Online Offsite Testing ACT Online Testing Window ACT will be implementing many changes this upcoming testing year. As I just mentioned, we’ve changed our terminology in reference to our Checklist of Dates, now called the Schedule of Events. Same content, different name. For the first time this year, Chromebooks will be allowed for ACT Online testing. Please consult the Technical Requirements on the state testing website for additional details. WorkKeys is not Chromebook-compatible. Offsite testing is allowed for both paper and online formats this year. You, as well as your building test coordinators, should have received an email in late November with instructions on how to request offsite testing. Instead of select days as was scheduled last year, ACT Online testing can be administered during any weekday within the two weeks of testing (April 19 through May 3). This will allow more flexibility in scheduling your online testing to as many students as possible.

Schedule of Events (SoE) 2015-16 Key Dates and Processes Schedule of Events (SoE) ACT-Alabama State Testing website (http://www.act.org/aap/alabama/act.html) Outlines all required tasks and deadlines for STCs and appointed testing staff Two SoEs The format of today’s training will synchronize directly with the 2015-16 Schedule of Events for both The ACT and ACT WorkKeys. A copy of each SoE should have been provided to you today. It can also be found as a PDF on the Alabama state testing website at the web address seen here. The purpose of the SoE to show a chronological timeline of all testing staff duties and key dates pertinent to the testing event. You’ll notice that there are two separate SoEs – one for The ACT and one for ACT WorkKeys. We’ll begin with the remaining duties for ACT WorkKeys…

Week of January 5, 2016 January 20, 2016 Week of February 1, 2016 ACT WorkKeys – January 2016 Week of January 5, 2016 Ordering Window for WorkKeys Paper Materials Order via PA Next Includes standard and accommodated testing January 20, 2016 WorkKeys Test Administration Q&A Session 3pm – 4pm CT Focus: Paper Administration Registration Links on SoE Week of February 1, 2016 STC to receive WorkKeys test materials Contains both Non-secure and Secure Materials Transported from STC office to school the day before testing

ACT WorkKeys – February 2016 Initial Test Date February 12, 2016 Initial Materials pickup at STC Makeup Ordering Window February 25, 2016 Makeup Test Date Makeup and Accoms Materials pickup at STC office the following day February 11 – 25, 2016 Accommodated Testing Window (Paper Only) February 29, 2016 WorkKeys Online testing closes

March 1, 2016 March 4, 2016 The ACT WorkKeys – March 2016 ACT inactivates WorkKeys Online assessments March 4, 2016 Deadline for ACT to receive all WorkKeys answer documents

Week of January 26 – February 2, 2016 January 29, 2016 The ACT – January 2016 January 15, 2016 ACT Test Administration Q&A January 22, 2016 Deadline for ACT-Approved Accommodations Requests January 25, 2016 Window for Late Accoms Requests Opens (closes on April 6, 2016) Week of January 26 – February 2, 2016 Window for Enrollment Verification January 29, 2016 Checkpoint Two Closes (online testing only)

March 14, 2016 Week of March 14, 2016 March 21, 2016 March 25, 2016 The ACT – March 2016 March 14, 2016 Suggested deadline to complete advanced search in TAA for ACT-Approved Accoms requests Week of March 14, 2016 STC receives Non-secure test materials Transported from STC office the day before testing Pretest Sessions Begin through April 18, 2016 March 21, 2016 Checkpoint Three Opens (online testing only) March 25, 2016 Deadline to submit reconsideration requests of ACT-Approved accommodations in TAA

The ACT – April/May 2016 April 8, 2016 Week of April 11, 2016 Checkpoint Three Ends Week of April 11, 2016 STCs receive secure standard and accommodated test materials April 19, 2016 Initial Test Date Materials should be returned to STC’s office after testing Makeup Ordering Email Arrives to BTCs April 19 – May 3, 2016 Accommodations Test Window ACT Online Test Window (weekdays; standard and extended time only) May 3, 2016 Makeup Test Date May 13, 2016 Deadline for ACT to receive answer documents

ACT WorkKeys - Resources WorkKeys Online Administration 800/WORKKEY (800.967.5539) Contact Us: workkeys@act.org WorkKeys Paper Administration ACT: 800.553.6244, ext. 2800 Contact Us: statetesting@act.org Let’s take a look at resources available to you for this: WorkKeys offers a bevy of resources, including this website for the program’s Reference Center. This website contains access to PDFs of administrative manuals, quick start guides for online testing and reporting, and an archive for any mass WorkKeys notices that may be distributed. ACT has also established a WorkKeys practice site, specifically for use by Alabama STCs and testing staff. I will review the elements of this site before the close of this presentation. The login capabilities for the Administrative practice realm will be listed on the state testing website later this week. Our Contact Center is accessible via phone and email for any additional questions that you may have about the WorkKeys system. Now we will take a look at practice realm…

Contact Us: www.act.org/app/state/contact.html Accommodations The ACT - Resources ACT Online Prep Alabama State Testing Website: http://www.act.org/aap/alabama/index.html Standard Time ACT: 800.553.6244, ext. 2800 Contact Us: www.act.org/app/state/contact.html Accommodations ACT: 800.553.6244, ext. 1788 ACTStateAccoms@act.org Let’s take a look at resources available to you for this: The ACT Online Prep tool is available again this year for all systems. Systems that had access to the tool last year will continue to have access through the end of September.  This presentation, along with my additional resources (i.e. Admin Manuals, offsite forms, SoE), will be posted on the State Testing Website so you can feel free to review it as frequently as you like, and, if you have questions not addressed by this training, please call or email us.

Questions & Answers This concludes today’s overview. We look forward to working with the schools to ensure successful test administrations. At this time, I will now address your questions…