ACT/SAT Questions and Answers

General Questions

Accountability and Report Card

Accommodations

Calendar/Scheduling


General Questions

1. Is the state-funded ACT or SAT mandatory for all juniors?

State law requires that schools administer the state-funded ACT or SAT to all grade 11 students, who entered grade 9 after July 1, 2014, in the spring of the school year. Senate Bill 3 exempts the following students from the requirement to take the assessment:

  1. A student who has significant cognitive disabilities and is administered an alternate assessment in accordance with the student's individual education program (IEP);
  2. A student who has a disability that includes an intellectual disability. Guidance available.
  3. A student who is an English learner who has been enrolled in United States schools for less than two years and for whom no appropriate accommodations are available. Guidance available.
  4. A student who received a "remediation-free" score on the required nationally standardized assessment and has presented evidence of that fact to the student's district or school.
  5. *Beginning Spring 2025 for the Class of 2026, a parent or guardian can exercise the option for their student not to take the state-funded ACT or SAT as indicated in House Bill 82.

A board may not prohibit an exempted student from taking the nationally standardized assessment if the student would like to take the assessment.

To ensure that every student can participate in the state-funded administration of the ACT or SAT, districts and schools should prepare to test all students. This includes registering all students and requesting accommodations that may be required for a student. For exempted students, the Ohio Department of Education encourages, but does not require, schools to request that a parent place in writing a decision not to participate, so there is a record of why the student was not tested. 

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2. Which schools are eligible to administer the state-funded administration of the college admission test?

All public schools, including community schools and eSchools, are required to administer the state-funded ACT or SAT to their juniors. The home district or school is responsible for administering college and career readiness tests to juniors in their district. Districts and schools may work with the Joint Vocational School Districts (JVSD) or career centers to facilitate the administration of the state-funded ACT or SAT. 
Chartered nonpublic schools not accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) must administer the state-funded ACT or SAT to their juniors, unless they administer an approved alternative test (Terra Nova or IOWA). The state will pay for the ACT or SAT for all students attending chartered nonpublic schools that are not accredited by the ISACS. In the case of students attending chartered nonpublic schools that are accredited by ISACS, the state will only pay for the test for students with a state scholarship.

Homeschool students and students that attend nonchartered nonpublic schools, as defined here, may request to take the test at the district of residence and the state will cover the costs. Homeschool students should work with the district of residence to register for the test.

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3. Which tests can be administered?

Each district will select one test, either the ACT or SAT, to offer to all grade 11 students.

Districts and schools will have the opportunity to select the college admission test for their district during the months of August and September of each year prior to the spring administration of the test. The testing window for juniors will be in the spring and the exam is available either as paper testing and/or online testing. 

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4. Is there a cost?
The state of Ohio will pay for the ACT or SAT one time to all eligible high school juniors during the state administration of the exam in the spring of their junior year. The district or student will pay for the cost of additional administrations of the exam (prior to or after the state-sponsored administration).

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5. Does the state administration of the ACT or SAT include the writing/essay sections?

ACT

The state administration of the ACT will include the primary subject areas in reading, English, mathematics and science. The state testing of the ACT will not include the optional writing test.

SAT

The state administration of the SAT will include the primary subject areas in reading, writing and language, and mathematics. The state administration does not include the optional essay section.

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6. Can the district or student pay to take additional ACT or SAT tests outside of the state administration?

Yes. Students may take and districts may administer these college admission tests at their own cost. The district will need to select one exam (either the SAT or ACT) to offer for the state-sponsored administration of the test. If a district chooses to offer an administration of the other exam, it must participate in a site establishment process for both the exam selected for state administration purposes and a separate site establishment process for the secondary exam if they choose to offer both tests. 

Students choosing to take the ACT or SAT on an individual basis and in addition to the exam offered during the state-sponsored testing are responsible for all aspects of the registration process including registration, payment, date selection, etc.

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7. Where can I find more information about the ACT or SAT?

More information regarding the SAT and ACT can be found on the vendor websites.

ACT

800-553-6244 Ext. 2800
statetesting@act.org
Informational presentation
(click the ACT Training drop down menu for presentation)

SAT

855-373-6387
ohsat@collegeboard.org
Informational presentation

For questions related to graduation requirements and the ACT or SAT, please contact the Office of Assessment at 614-466-1317.

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Accountability and Report Card

1. How are the ACT/SAT data used on the Ohio School Report Card?
The Prepared for Success component looks at how well schools are equipping Ohio’s students to take advantage of future opportunities. The Prepared for Success component of the Ohio School Report Card currently includes ACT/SAT data. More information on the Prepared for Success component is here

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2. Are there consequences on the Ohio School Report Card if a student fails to take the ACT/SAT?

There are no consequences to a district or school report card if a student fails to take the ACT or SAT. However, failing to take the ACT or SAT does reduce the opportunity for scoring points on the Prepared for Success component. The Prepared for Success component includes a school or district’s 4-year and 5-year graduation cohorts in the denominator. The state calculates the numerator of the component for each student if they meet any one of the three primary opportunities, including college entrance exam remediation-free scores, 12 points earned through an industry-recognized credential, or an honors diploma.

The Prepared for Success component also reports participation in the ACT and SAT, but is not graded or used for the component calculation. 

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3. If a student does not take the ACT or SAT in the spring of their junior year, but they take one or both tests at their own expense during another administration date, is the other data included in the Ohio School Report Card’s Prepared for Success calculation?
The Prepared for Success component uses all available ACT or SAT test scores when determining if a student scored remediation-free on either the ACT or SAT. Scores should be reported in EMIS even if a student takes the test sometime other than the spring of grade 11. Such students will be included in the participation rate data as having participated in the test. If these students meet the remediation-free score, they will be included in the numerator of the Prepared for Success component calculation with their graduation cohort. 

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Accommodations

1. Can students with disabilities receive accommodations on the ACT or SAT?
Districts and schools should consult with the test vendors about the available accommodations.  

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Calendar/Scheduling

1. What do districts need to do next?

ACT and SAT have scheduled a series of question and answer sessions to provide more information regarding the testing processes. ACT and SAT will communicate information and access links for these information sessions, found on the ACT Schedule of Events page and the SAT Important Dates page.

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2. What are the test windows for administering the state-funded ACT and SAT in the spring?

The test window for the state-funded ACT can be found here.

The test window for the state-funded SAT can be found here.

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Last Modified: 2/29/2024 1:14:35 PM