Tri-town elementary students will have less time to complete the district’s newest standardized test this spring.

Superintendent Doug White said the board that administers the Partnership for Readiness for College and Careers exam announced it will combine two testing windows and reduce the time allowed to finish.

White informed members of the Marion School Committee of the change at the board’s Wednesday night meeting.

White and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Elise Frangos said the decision is welcome.

"Remember that MCAS is untimed and for students that can drag on for eternity," Frangos said.

Students will take PARCC again this school year; however, the test will be replaced by a MCAS/PARCC hybrid in 2017.

The PARCC Governing Board made the decision in May 2015 after receiving feedback from districts and teachers.

As a result, the total test time will be reduced by approximately 90 minutes for students in third, fourth and sixth grades.

White said third grade students will take three tests for English language arts across two, 90-minute sessions and one, 75-minute session. Math tests will be administered in three, 60-minute sessions.

Fourth and fifth grade students will have three, 90-minute sessions to complete the English assessment and three, 60-minute sessions for math.

Sixth grade students will have two, 110-minute sessions and one, 90-minute session for English. The math sessions include three, 60-minute tests.

“This is a reduced time over last year’s test,” White said. “Even though it doesn’t seem that way.”

According PARCC’s Governing Board, the changes will improve and simplify the test administration for schools, teachers and students without compromising its goal – ensuring students are prepared for college and future careers.