ISTEP+ testing reduced by three hours

The Indiana Department of Education has reduced the ISTEP test length by three hours for all students in all grades, according to Indiana's Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz.

Ritz, the State Board of Education and a consultant have been working to reduce the length of this year's ISTEP. The length of the ISTEP for this school year doubled for all grades.

The state is also seeking to suspend the social studies portion of the ISTEP for students in grades 5 and 7. That would reduce their testing time by an additional hour.

The three hours will be saved by modifying the way questions are piloted for testing for the following year.

Students will be tested on only half of the pilot questions.