INDIANAPOLIS (AP): Members of a state panel criticized by Indiana superintendents for being slow in rolling out a replacement for the ISTEP student test say they expect to forward a detailed proposal to lawmakers by the December deadline.

The Indianapolis Star reports that consensus is building around the timing of the new exam in a review of proposals submitted by the panel, a group of school leaders tasked with recommending ISTEP’s replacement.

The series of proposals are varied in their approach, but seem to indicate panelists don’t want the state to start from scratch in building a new exam. They want ISTEP given once a year at the end of the school year, rather than the two times it’s administered now.

Several panelists also want to end IREAD, a Grade 3 reading exam that can retain students if they fail.