Despite discussion at the state level about moving ISTEP-Plus to the spring, there have been no changes and most local educators prefer that the testing remain in the fall.

Students in third through 10th grade take the ISTEP. The tests focus on English/language arts and math. Children in fifth and seventh grade also are tested in science.

The test is used to determine how much a child knows and measure the progress of individual schools and districts based on requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Jason Bearce, Indiana Department of Education spokesman, said ISTEP is a once-a-year test.

"It makes sense to provide more resources to schools throughout the year, so schools know how students are doing at the beginning of the year as well as at the end of the year," Bearce said. "That's where we're headed."

Jim Hardman, director of curriculum and instruction at Crown Point schools, said he fears that if testing is moved to the spring, teachers will spend the year teaching to the test. He said there is a review period when school starts, then teachers move on to "deep learning."

Nevertheless, Terry Spradlin, associate director at Center for Evaluation and Education Policy at Indiana University in Bloomington, said the test time is likely to move to fall in three years. He said a pilot test could be offered in spring 2009.

"That's just speculation, but there could be a three-year window," he said.

Spradlin said in November 2006, the Legislature adopted a long-range assessment plan that included keeping the fall test as an assessment, then offering a spring test as a diagnostic tool.

"The diagnostic test would help teachers and principals determine where students are and what types of intervention is necessary," he said.

Spradlin said there has been discussion of eliminating the graduation qualifying exam at the 10th grade level and instead offering end-of-core assessments based on the Core 40 graduation requirement.

He said educators also are looking at developing a diagnostic assessment for children in kindergarten through second grade in reading that could become mandatory.

"More information on all of this will be available at the September Indiana Board of Education meeting," Spradlin said.

He said there are no expected changes in Public Law 221, and Congress is reviewing No Child Left Behind for reauthorization now.