Signing Up with a State Voucher
Two states—Colorado and Tennessee—provide pre-printed vouchers distributed through the schools to cover the basic registration or special testing fee for the ACT® (No Writing) or ACT Plus Writing according to the rules described below for each state. 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. 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.
Colorado
In compliance with legislation passed in 2001, 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 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 2010 are:
- Public school students attending an online high school who are not able to make arrangements directly with their own high school to take the ACT on the state-designated May makeup test date.
- 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 the CDE will receive a state voucher, from their schools, to submit as payment of the basic fee with their registration for the April national test date. The voucher may not be used to register for any other test date.
Vouchers are valid only for approved students and may not be transferred to any others. Approved students who register with a state voucher and take the test on the April national test date will have their April national test date scores used for School Accountability Reports and may not take the test on either of the state test dates designated by the CDE.
Only schools may apply for vouchers; 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) according to the following criteria:
- The voucher is intended primarily for grade 12 students who have not previously taken the ACT with a voucher or through ACT Tennessee State Testing.
- Grade 11 students will take a state-funded ACT in school through ACT Tennessee State Testing in March 2010. 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.
- Student wishing to take the ACT Plus Writing must pay the additional $15.00 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 by early August that includes all information and procedures for using this voucher.