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Skandera: PARCC Testing Time To Be Reduced By 90 Minutes

New Mexico's top public school official says a decision to reduce the time students spend taking tests based on the Common Core standards will make a difference in the state.

Public Education Secretary Hannah Skandera and members of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for Colleges and Career, or PARCC, governing board voted this week to reduce the testing time by about 90 minutes.

They also decided to narrow the testing window to once a year.

Rolled out earlier this year, the testing sparked intense opposition from teachers, parents and students.

Skandera says the changes address criticisms that the testing requirements took away from classroom instruction.

The head of the Albuquerque teachers' union says there are still concerns whether the tests adequately measure critical thinking and problem solving skills.

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