Recently, the ACT has decided to change its testing format for students with the standard extended-time accommodation (known as “National Extended Time Testing”). Starting in September, students will have a time limit with a hard stop after each section of the test. This is a change from the existing rules, under which test takers are given a total of 5 hours to complete the four multiple choice test sections at their own pace, with no individual time limits on each section. The time limits will will be as follows:
- English – 70 minutes
- Math – 90 minutes
- Reading – 55 minutes
- Science – 55 minutes
- Writing (optional) – 60 minutes
While the self-pacing format was intended to provide flexibility to students with learning differences, student feedback seemed to suggest that it actually had the reverse effect: self-pacing often created stress regarding time management and in the end often negatively impacted many students whose learning differences require structure and pacing to achieve optimal performance.
Under this new policy, students will have a 15 minute break after the Math test and a short break before the Writing portion if they are taking it.
Note that these changes only affect National Extended Time testing, which is the standard 50% extra time accommodation the majority of students receive. Other testing accommodations offered by the ACT are unaffected by this change.
These changes will take effect in September 2018 and will not impact the upcoming July ACT.
If you have any questions about this change in policy, please contact our President and Founder Scott Moser at
(303) 819-4328 or via email at
scott@mosereducational.com. We pride ourselves on being an educational resource to the community, so we encourage you to contact us at any time for free advice specific to your student’s situation.
