FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The written portion of the ISTEP testing in is underway or will be underway around the area.

In the Fort Wayne Community school system, making sure students were prepared was a major factor in the decision to expand the school day by an hour, rather than add actual days to the academic calendar.

Spokesperson Krista Stockman told WOWO News it gave students a change to get more instruction and help now. According to Stockman, FWCS missed 12 full days in January and February, not counting the delays or earlier dismissals.

She encourages parents and guardians to keep the schedule as normal as possible to minimize stress during the testing days. That includes a regular sleep routine, a good breakfast and lots of encouragement.

The online portion of the test, which experienced a number of glitches last spring, is scheduled for next month. Officials say those problems have been corrected.