State Estimates Fewer Hours For New Standardized Test

The standardized test that will replace Indiana’s ISTEP will take students significantly less time to complete, according to estimates from the Indiana Department of Education.

Indiana has seen new standardized tests a few times just in the past five years, and in 2015, people were furious about the new ISTEP exam. That year, the state estimated the test could take up to 12 hours, but lawmakers and then-governor Mike Pence frantically worked to change that.

Now, students –  depending on grade level – can spend a little more than 8 hours taking the ISTEP.

READ MORE: ISTEP Scores Stabilize But Nearly Half Of Students Still Fail

But another new test will replace ISTEP next year, called ILEARN, and IDOE estimates ILEARN test times will take about two to three fewer hours to complete.

Lawmakers still need to finalize legislation that would shift end of course exams for high schoolers to the ACT or SAT, but the bill could also impact the length of ILEARN by requiring the English and math sections of the exam to be untimed.