The Enhanced ACT® Test: What’s Changed and What It Means for District Operations

The ACT® test has evolved, and now that the changes are live, we are looking at how this new format impacts students and district planning. Shorter test times, fewer questions, and more time per item aim to reduce pressure and create a more focused testing experience. While those benefits for students have materialized, the operational reality of navigating this enhanced format continues to evolve for school administrators. But what do these changes actually mean for your students, your classrooms, and how you prepare your district’s operational planning, data interpretation, state accountability compliance, and overall college readiness programs today?

In this article, we review the now current exam format, clarify how it compares to the broader testing landscape, and dive deep into the instructional shifts and operational adjustments your district needs to make based on a full year of real-world implementation data.

The Current ACT® Test: Format and Flexibility

As of 2026, the ACT® offers more flexibility than ever before. The Enhanced ACT® test offers unprecedented flexibility, designed to meet students where they are and accommodate diverse district infrastructure. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, the updated exam structure allows districts and students to make choices that best align with their unique goals and capabilities. Students can now:

• Choose between paper and online test formats, allowing districts to transition to digital testing at their own pace without forcing a mandate before their tech infrastructure is ready.
• Opt into or out of the Science and Writing sections, enabling students to focus their energy on the core subjects required by most colleges, while still offering the option to demonstrate STEM or writing proficiency where needed.
• Take a shorter overall test with fewer questions, significantly reducing testing fatigue.
• Benefit from more time per question, which allows students to showcase their actual knowledge and deep comprehension rather than just their test-taking speed.

How the Current ACT® Test Compares to Previous Versions and the SAT®

Both the ACT® and SAT® have undergone changes in recent years, but they’ve taken different paths. With so many shifts in the testing landscape over the past year, district leaders need a clear view of the current exams. Here is a quick reference guide showing how the previous ACT® test format compares to the current ACT® test, alongside the current digital SAT® for added perspective.

Impact of Changes on Instruction and District Operations

For educators, the streamlined ACT® offers both clarity and opportunity:

• More Focused Test Prep:
  With optional sections, schools can align instruction based on student goals and college admissions requirements.
• Reduced Emphasis on Speed Drills:
  More time per question allows educators to shift toward deeper comprehension, analysis, and skill mastery.
• Opportunity for Strategy:
  Teachers can coach students on whether to take optional sections based on career interests, strengths, or application requirements.

These changes make it easier for educators to individualize prep, target specific skill gaps, and reduce stress for students navigating high-stakes testing.

Operational Changes for Schools and Districts

With early testing cycles of the enhanced format now complete, district leaders have real data to inform their strategies. The changes extend far beyond a shortened testing window—they fundamentally shift how schools must interpret data, manage accountability, and structure college readiness programs.

How will interpreting data be different?
Although the ACT® test remains norm-referenced—meaning a 30 on Math is still a 30 on Math—the path to that score has changed. District data teams need to help educators shift their instructional focus away from endurance and rapid completion. Key changes to note:

• Precision over pace: With fewer questions overall, the test now prioritizes accuracy. Each individual question carries more weight in the final score calculation.
• Score volatility: Missing just a few questions can now create a noticeably larger proportional drop in a student’s scaled score.
• Instructional shift: Educators should prioritize deep conceptual mastery over test-taking speed drills to ensure students are maximizing their accuracy.

How do you navigate the “Optional” Science section?
While the test maker has made the Science section optional, districts must weigh this against external expectations:

• College expectations: Nearly 30% of colleges still require or strongly recommend the Science section, particularly for STEM and competitive merit-aid programs. Opting to skip the Science section during school-day testing to save time or money risks putting STEM-bound students at a disadvantage.
• Accountability metrics: If your state accountability system previously relied on the ACT® test for science proficiency metrics, your district must ensure it remains compliant through other means or choose to retain the full administration for all students.

How do you account for non-comparable year over year data and shifting CCR indicators?
Because the composite score is now a three-section average (English, Math, and Reading), year-over-year composite comparisons and readiness tracking are no longer apples-to-apples:

• Setting new baselines: Districts should establish new baselines for the current ACT® test rather than directly comparing this year’s composite averages to pre-2025 cohorts.
• Evaluating CCR indicators: Because state accountability frameworks often rely on historical ACT benchmarks, the altered score structure can disrupt how you track College and Career Readiness. District leaders will need to reassess the impact of the Enhanced ACT® test on state readiness indicators to ensure ongoing compliance and determine if local reporting strategies need recalibration.
• Navigating legacy scores: Legacy ACT test scores are now recalculated using only the core three subjects.
• Superscoring advantages: Counselors should actively guide students on the new Superscoring rules. Because Science is excluded from the new core composite, students can effectively drop a low historical Science score from their official superscored composite if it benefits their college applications.

How Progress Learning Supports Your District’s Prep Program

As a Preferred Test Prep Provider of the ACT® test, Progress Learning brings official ACT® test content directly into the comprehensive K-12 platform your teachers already use.

• Officially Licensed ACT® Content: Our platform includes more than 7,000 official items sourced from 33 past ACT® test papers.
• Updated Practice Tests: Reflect new timing, question types, and section structure.
• Individualized Study Plans: Support personalized student learning paths.
• Data-Driven Reporting: Monitor progress and adjust instruction with ease, utilizing reporting that mirrors official ACT® test score report categories.

Whether your students are taking the full ACT® test or opting out of certain sections, Progress Learning gives educators everything they need to prepare effectively—with no extra prep or rework.

Watch Our Webinar: The ACT® Is Changing—Here’s What to Know

Want more information on the ACT® changes and how to adjust your instruction? Watch the recording of our recent webinar, The ACT® Is Changing: Here’s What to Know. In this 30-minute session, test prep expert Matt Klinestiver walks you through:

• A breakdown of the ACT®’s structural, content, and scoring changes
• How these changes affect college readiness instruction
• What educators can do now to prepare students for success
• Tips for using data to drive targeted instruction and build student confidence

Want to learn more about how Progress Learning can help in preparing your school for the ACT® test? Sign up for a demo below to learn more.