INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has hired a second consultant to review the state's standardized test and make recommendations by Friday on how to shorten the testing time.
 
Pence said Wednesday he had talked with state schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz and that she had agreed to work with the two outside experts on the ISTEP+ exam.
 
About 450,000 students in grades 3 to 8 are to begin taking the test this month, Many parents and educators have complained about potential total test times doubling to about 12 hours.
 
The State Board of Education is being asked by Ritz to consider on Friday suspending school accountability grades for a year.
 
Pence says he's confident the test can be shortened without compromising the state's A-F grading system for schools.