ACT Aspire Assessment Guide : Free Online Guide, Information, Tips, Practice Tests and Strategies – 2018-19

This page provides ACT Aspire Worksheets, Practice tests, Testing window, Testing times and answers Frequently Asked Questions by Teachers, Parents and Students.

ACT Aspire BASICS

ACT Aspire testing window April 8 – May 10, 2019
ACT Aspire Sections
  • ELA : 3 sessions [Reading, Writing, Language]
  • Math : 1 session
  • What is the assessment conducted at the end of the year in Arkansas State called?
    What is the ACT Aspire?
    Is Act aspire aligned to Common Core?
    What was the earlier assessment conducted before the introduction of ACT Aspire?
    Why did Arkansas adopt the ACT Aspire for assessment of grades K-12?
    When did Arkansas incorporate ACT Aspire as a form of the end of the year assessment?
    What is the ACT Aspire assessment schedule for 2019?
    How many sessions are there for each ACT Aspire test?
    What is the duration of ACT Aspire test?
    Is there any break in between the ACT Aspire test sessions?
    What are the question types in ACT Aspire test?
    How are the performance levels assessed in ACT Aspire?
    What is the calculator policy for ACT Aspire test?
    How will StepUp® help my child prepare for ACT Aspire test?
    Are there any printable worksheets to help with ACT Aspire practice?

    What is the assessment conducted at the end of the year in Arkansas State called?

    The assessment conducted at the end of the year in Arkansas State is called ACT Aspire.

    Scroll to Top

    What is the ACT Aspire?

    ACT Aspire is the end of the year assessment which assesses student performance in English, math, reading, science, and writing.

    Scroll to Top

    Is Act aspire aligned to Common Core?

    While ACT Aspire does not measure all of Common Core standards, all of the skills and knowledge measured by ACT Aspire are aligned with and reportable to the standards. The ACT Aspire is designed to measure the skills of the students on the College and Career readiness standards.

    Scroll to Top

    What was the earlier assessment conducted before the introduction of ACT Aspire?

    Arkansas Benchmark test was used as assessment method upto 2013-14. In the year, 2014-15, the Education Department used PAARC as test method which was aligned to Common Core Standards.

    Scroll to Top

    Why did Arkansas adopt the ACT Aspire for assessment of grades K-12?

    The Switch over from Benchmark to PARCC was to phase in Common Core Standards in Arkansas schools. Also, PARCC was considered to be a more rigorous exam, corresponding to the more rigorous standards represented by Common Core.

    But PARCC failed due to many reasons — some of them were, the frustration felt by teachers about the excessive time required to administer the test and logistical problems involving technology and adequate Internet access, but some districts have obtained waivers and conduct paper based assessments.

    Scroll to Top

    When did Arkansas incorporate ACT Aspire as a form of the end of the year assessment?

    ACT Aspire as a method of assessment started in the year 2015-16. The act went into effect on March 20, 2015.

    Scroll to Top

    What is the ACT Aspire assessment schedule for 2019?

    The ACT Aspire assessment schedule for 2019 is between April 8-May 10, 2019.

    Scroll to Top

    How many sessions are there for each ACT Aspire test?

    ELA tests are conducted in 3 sessions- One for reading, One for writing and one for Language test.

    Mathematics is tested in a single session.

    Scroll to Top

    What is the duration of ACT Aspire test?

    The duration of the ACT Aspire test is as below:

    ACT Aspire ELA Language:

    Grade 3 to 8: 40 minutes


    ACT Aspire Writing:

    Grade 3 to 5: 45 minutes

    Grade 6 to 8: 40 minutes


    ACT Aspire ELA Reading:

    Grade 3 to 8: 65 minutes


    ACT Aspire Mathematics:

    Grade 3 to 5: 65 minutes

    Grade 6 to 8: 75 minutes


    Scroll to Top

    Is there any break in between the ACT Aspire test sessions?

    No, there are no breaks between a single session of ACT Aspire test.

    Scroll to Top

    What are the question types in ACT Aspire test?

    The question types in ACT Aspire Test include:

    1] Constructed Response Tasks that require students to generate their own response to the questions.

    2] Technology enhanced items and tasks incorporate computer interfaces to ask questions and pose scenarios that are not possible in traditional paper-based formats. they also present conventional items in fresh, innovative ways that motivate students. technology-enhanced items may require students to generate their responses, or they may present students with a wider and more complex set of answer options.

    3] Selected response /Multiple Choice Item Types where students have to select an answer from among the choices provided.

    Scroll to Top

    How are the performance levels assessed in ACT Aspire?

    The performance levels for ACT Aspire are:

    The Student assessment is done at 4 levels. These are Needs support, Close, Ready and Exceeding.

    1] Exceeding: students demonstrate superior performance beyond proficient grade-level performance. They can apply skills to solve complex problems and complete demanding tasks on their own. They are able to make connections between abstract and concrete ideas and provide proper explanations and arguments to support their answers.

    2] Ready: students demonstrate Good academic performance and are well prepared for the next level of schooling. They can use learned skills and knowledge to solve problems and complete tasks on their own.

    3] Close: students demonstrate partial knowledge and lack skills necessary for the proficient level.

    4] Needs support: students fail to show sufficient skills to attain the basic level and need additional support.

    Scroll to Top

    What is the calculator policy for ACT Aspire test?

    Students in Grade 6 and above can use calculators. (a calculator tool is available on the CBT version.) For Grades 3–5, direct evidence of students executing important computational skills, practices, and understandings is required, so calculators are not permitted.

    Scroll to Top

    How will StepUp® help my child prepare for ACT Aspire test?

    The Lumos StepUp® provides:

    (a) Online access to Full-length ACT Aspire Practice Tests .

    (b) Workbooks to practice 30+ Math and 40+ ELA skills.

    (c) Access to parent and student portals.

    (d) Access to Teacher portal.

    (e) Easy-to-use, advanced and real-time reports to help you identify areas of weakness and tailor personalized learning plans for your student.

    (f) Student-centric approach, combined with instant feedback boosts student confidence and improves learning outcomes.

    (g) StepUp® program can be accessed through a number of devices that include, PC, tablet and smartphones and it is available 24×7. This convenience helps enabling anywhere learning.

    Scroll to Top

    Are there any printable worksheets to help with ACT Aspire practice?

    Yes, Lumos Learning provide a number of free printable worksheets to help students experience sample questions in the printed format.
    Click here

    Scroll to Top

    2nd Grade ACT Aspire Practice Tests

    MATH
    ELA
    Grade 2

    Grade 3

    3rd Grade ACT Aspire Practice Tests

    MATH
    ELA

    4th Grade ACT Aspire Practice Tests

    MATH
    ELA

    Grade 4

    Grade 5

    5th Grade ACT Aspire Practice Tests

    MATH
    ELA

    6th Grade ACT Aspire Practice Tests

    MATH
    ELA

    Grade 6

    Grade 7

    7th Grade ACT Aspire Practice Tests

    MATH
    ELA

    8th Grade ACT Aspire Practice Tests

    MATH
    ELA

    Grade 8

    High School Math End of Course Test Practice

    High School ELA End of Course Test Practice