ACT Professional Development & Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A test administrator notices a student appears to be using an unauthorized calculator during an ACT exam. What is the most appropriate immediate action?
- Confiscate the device and allow the student to continue with an approved calculator
- Quietly remind the student that only approved calculators are permitted and document the incident (Correct answer)
- Dismiss the student from the testing room immediately without warning
- Allow the student to finish and report the violation after the exam
Correct answer: Quietly remind the student that only approved calculators are permitted and document the incident
Administrators should address the policy violation directly but calmly, allow the student to comply, and document the incident per ACT protocol.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'professional boundaries' for ACT test administrators?
- Maintaining physical distance from test takers at all times
- Limiting interactions with students to those necessary for proper test administration (Correct answer)
- Refusing to answer any student questions during the exam
- Restricting communication only to written instructions
Correct answer: Limiting interactions with students to those necessary for proper test administration
Professional boundaries mean keeping interactions focused on legitimate administrative tasks and avoiding unnecessary personal exchanges.
Question 3: An administrator discovers that a colleague shared specific test content with students before the exam. According to ACT ethics guidelines, what must the administrator do?
- Warn the colleague privately and monitor the situation
- Report the violation to ACT or the appropriate supervisory authority (Correct answer)
- Confront the colleague in front of other staff members
- Document the incident but take no further action unless it recurs
Correct answer: Report the violation to ACT or the appropriate supervisory authority
ACT's code of ethics requires administrators to report security breaches to the appropriate authority to protect exam integrity.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of requiring ACT test administrators to complete annual recertification training?
- To increase the cost of test administration
- To ensure administrators remain current with updated policies, procedures, and security protocols (Correct answer)
- To provide administrators with teaching credentials
- To evaluate administrator performance for salary increases
Correct answer: To ensure administrators remain current with updated policies, procedures, and security protocols
Recertification ensures administrators stay informed about policy updates and maintain the competency required for standardized test security.
Question 5: A student requests that an administrator help them understand a difficult math problem during the exam. How should the administrator respond?
- Provide a brief explanation of the relevant math concept
- Decline to assist and remind the student that no help is permitted during testing (Correct answer)
- Refer the student to the test booklet's instructions section
- Signal another student nearby to assist
Correct answer: Decline to assist and remind the student that no help is permitted during testing
Providing academic assistance during a standardized exam would compromise test validity and violates ACT's administration standards.
Question 6: Which ethical principle is violated when an administrator allows a friend's child extra time beyond the approved accommodation?
- Confidentiality
- Fairness and standardization (Correct answer)
- Physical safety
- Record retention
Correct answer: Fairness and standardization
Granting unauthorized additional time violates the fairness principle by giving one test taker an unfair advantage over others.
Question 7: When an ACT test administrator is uncertain about the correct procedure for handling a specific situation, what is the best course of action?
- Use personal judgment to resolve the situation as quickly as possible
- Consult the ACT Supervisor Manual or contact the ACT testing coordinator for guidance (Correct answer)
- Ask other administrators in the room what they would do
- Proceed with the most common-sense approach and document it afterward
Correct answer: Consult the ACT Supervisor Manual or contact the ACT testing coordinator for guidance
The ACT Supervisor Manual and testing coordinators are the authoritative sources for resolving procedural uncertainties.
ACT Professional Development & Ethics 2
A test administrator notices a student appears to be using an unauthorized calculator during an ACT exam.
What is the most appropriate immediate action?