The ACT is undergoing important updates beginning in 2025. These Enhanced ACT changes are designed to better align with industry best practices, provide a clearer picture of student readiness, and streamline the testing experience
Core Administration Changes
Legacy ACT Core: English, Math, Reading, and Science
Enhanced ACT Core: English, Math, and Reading only
Science and Writing remain available but are no longer part of the shortest “core” version used for the composite score
Section Length & Item Counts
The Enhanced ACT shortens overall testing time and reduces the number of scored items, while keeping section balance.
Reporting Category Rebalancing
Although no reporting categories were added or removed, the percentage of items in each category has been rebalanced to emphasize different skills.
Reading
The categories remain the same, but distribution across comprehension skills is more balanced.
English
The new blueprint gives equal weight to grammar, writing, and language skills.
Math
More focus is placed on Higher Math, with less emphasis on Essential Skills.
Science
The science categories are unchanged but redistributed for more even representation.
What This Means for Students & Teachers
Shorter Core Test
Students complete the required composite score sections in 50 fewer minutes.
Deeper Focus on Fewer Skills
Especially in Math, where “Integrating Essential Skills” has been reduced to emphasize “Preparing for Higher Math.”
Balanced English Categories
Conventions of Standard English no longer dominate; equal weight is given to Production of Writing.
Science Slightly Rebalanced
Categories remain, but distributions are more evenly spread.
For additional details, see ACT’s official announcement here.