Standardize Testing

As a designated testing center, the ACT is offered several times a year on Howard’s campus, given over multiple days. We administer the ACTAspire during the spring of 9th and 10th grade years and a Practice ACT test in October of the student’s 11th grade year. The College and Next Steps Counselor, High School Principal, and/ or School Psychologist are available to review scores on these tests and to make recommendations to students in regards to testing, accommodations, tutoring, and next steps. Juniors typically take the ACT for the first time in the spring. Seniors may apply to take one or the other test once or twice in the fall. Students may take these tests at other schools on other ACT testing dates, but these sites may not offer the same accommodations as are provided at The Howard School.

The school provides testing with all the accommodations for which the student has been officially approved (e.g., extended time, audio presentation of the test questions, computer for word processing, extra-large answer blocks). Approval for accommodations is a process that commences in the student’s 11th grade year and is at the discretion of the ACT board. In order to receive accommodations, it is necessary that the student have a current psychoeducational assessment (within the past three years) that specifically states the diagnosis, plus recommended school and test accommodations. In addition, a student must have written documentation at school that lists these accommodations for at least four months prior to making the application for accommodations. The Howard School will assist with the process of applying to the ACT board for accommodations.