Seating rules by test
| Test | Spacing | Seat order | Staff in each room |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAAR | Far enough apart that no one can see another screen; no distance in feet | Not set | 1 trained test administrator per 30 students |
| AP Exams | 4 feet center to center | Random, never alphabetical | 1 proctor up to 34 students, 2 up to 50, 3 up to 100 |
| SAT and PSAT | 3 feet right and left, from the center of each desk | Proctors assign seats | 1 proctor, plus a room monitor from 35 students |
| ACT | Online: 3 feet side to side, 5 feet front to back. Paper: 3 feet both ways | Assigned at check-in; alphabetical is allowed | 1 room supervisor, plus proctors from 31 examinees |
Each test page lists the manual and page each rule comes from. Other state tests (FAST, TCAP, PSSA and the rest) are not built in yet because we have not checked their current manuals; choose "Another test" for a plain chart with your own distance rule.
How seats are filled
Students go into rooms in alphabetical order, so a door roster can say "Abbott to Lee". Inside a room, seats are random unless you choose alphabetical. Desks closer than the test allows are crossed out and left empty, and every pair of seated students is checked again after you swap two seats.
To split students by accommodation, put a group after a semicolon ("Amy Lee; Small group") and give a room the same group under Who tests here. "Most students" caps a small group below the number of desks.
Questions from test coordinators
Do I need a seating chart for state testing?
For STAAR, AP and ACT, yes, one for every testing room. TEA requires it for each STAAR session and lists an improperly completed chart as a procedural irregularity. College Board asks for one per room for each AP Exam and recommends one for the SAT and PSAT. ACT room supervisors complete a Seating Diagram.
Can testing seats be alphabetical?
For AP Exams, no: College Board requires random seats. ACT allows alphabetical seating. The STAAR manual and the SAT Suite manual set no order. The tool defaults to random and lets you switch where the test allows it.
How far apart should students sit for a test?
It depends on the test: 4 feet center to center for AP, 3 feet right and left for the SAT and PSAT, 3 feet side to side and 5 feet front to back for online ACT. STAAR has no distance, only that students cannot see one another’s screens.
How many students can one test administrator have?
For STAAR, at least one trained test administrator for every 30 students must be in the room. AP asks for 1 proctor up to 34 students and 2 up to 50. The tool works out the staff each room needs and flags short ones.
How do I make charts for several rooms at once?
Add a room for each space. Students without a group fill the rooms meant for everyone else; grouped students go to rooms with that group. Print once and every room gets its own page.
Where are the student names kept?
Only in this browser on this device, saved as you type. Nothing is uploaded and names never go into the page address. To move a plan to another computer, save a backup file on the Print tab.
Sources: TEA 2026-2027 STAAR Test Administrator Manual; AP Seating Policy and Seating Charts; 2025-26 AP Coordinator’s Manual, Part 2; Fall 2026 SAT Suite of Assessments Test Coordinator Manual; Spring 2027 ACT Test Administration Manual, State and District, Online; Spring 2026 ACT Printable Test Administration Manual (a district’s copy). Checked October 2026. Your district or the test’s own manual has the final word.