Signing Up with a State Voucher
Arkansas, Colorado, and Tennessee provide vouchers distributed through the schools to cover the basic registration or special testing fee for the ACT (No Writing). Students submitting a state voucher as payment are responsible for all fees for optional services and for any additional fees (e.g., late registration).
Students using a state voucher as payment can register either online or by mail.
- If registering online, the student must enter the serial number printed in the top-right corner of the voucher on the payment screen, then follow the instructions to "apply" the voucher to validate it. If the student owes any additional fees, they must be paid by credit card. Finally, the student must click "Submit" to complete the registration.
- If registering by mail, the student must enter the serial number in Block W of the registration folder and return the completed and signed voucher with the completed registration folder.
- If requesting Special Testing, the student must return the completed and signed voucher with the completed Request for ACT Special Testing.
Arkansas
In compliance with appropriate policy, eligible schools will receive vouchers to allow certain grade 11 students to take the ACT (No Writing) at state expense on the April or June national test date instead of on the state in-school test date. By State Board of Education rule, the only students eligible for a voucher in 2012 are:
- Public school eleventh grade students attending a participating high school.
- Public school eleventh grade students unable to take the ACT on the state-designated test date (April 3) due to conflicts with legitimate instructional or curricular activities.
- Public school eleventh grade students who miss the state-designated test date.
Eligible students will receive a voucher from their schools to submit as payment of the basic fee with a registration for the April or June national test date. The voucher may not be used to register for any other test dates. The voucher may not be used to request ACT Special Testing; students who need accommodations must test during the state-designated accommodations window (March 20-April 3).
Students who register with a state voucher and take the test on the April or June national test date will have their national test date scores used for School Performance Framework and may not take the test on the April 3 test date designated by ADE/ADHE.
Schools are responsible for determining which students are eligible for a voucher and must distribute the vouchers in accordance with the designated timeline and regulations; students may not apply directly to the state or to ACT. For more information, students should check with a high school counselor.
- The registration deadline for the April national test date is March 9, 2012.
- The registration deadline for the June national test date is May 4, 2012.
Colorado
In compliance with appropriate legislation, schools may apply to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) for vouchers to allow certain grade 11 students to take the ACT (No Writing) at state expense on the February or April national test date instead of on the state in-school test date. By State Board of Education rule, the only students eligible for a voucher in 2012 are:
- Public school students attending an online high school.
- Public school students unable to take the ACT on the state-designated test dates due to conflicts with legitimate instructional or curricular activities, as determined by the CDE.
Students whose applications are approved by CDE will receive a state voucher, from their schools, to submit as payment of the basic fee with their registration for the February or April national test date. The voucher may not be used to register for any other test dates. Vouchers are valid only for approved students and may not be transferred. Approved students who register with a state voucher and take the test on the February or April national test date will have their national test date scores used for School Performance Framework and may not take the test on either of the state test dates designated by CDE.
Schools are responsible for determining which students are eligible for a voucher and must communicate the number of eligible students to CDE in accordance with the designated timeline; students may not apply directly to the state or to ACT. For more information, students should check with a high school counselor.
Tennessee
Students enrolled in Tennessee public high schools may be eligible for a state-funded voucher to pay the basic ACT registration fee for the ACT (No Writing) on any 2011–2012 National Test Date according to the following criteria:
- The voucher is intended primarily for grade 12 students who did not participate in the ACT Tennessee State Testing as 11th graders and did not previously register with a Tennessee voucher.
- Grade 11 students will take a state-funded ACT in school through ACT Tennessee State Testing in spring 2012. Most grade 11 students will not use a voucher.
- Districts may provide vouchers at their discretion to grade 11 students who cannot participate in State Testing, who need their scores before that administration, or whose schedule of activities makes testing on a national test date more feasible for them.
- Students wishing to take the ACT Plus Writing must pay the additional $15.50 fee.
- Students may register for only one test date with this voucher.
Students may not request a voucher from the state or ACT. They must check directly with their high school counselor for information. Public schools in Tennessee will receive a mailing in the summer that includes all information and procedures for using this voucher.