Some Maine teachers responding to an online survey said they had technical problems administering new state assessment tests, and thought it took longer than expected for students to complete.

The Maine Education Association, the state teachers union, emailed the survey to 9,500 teachers on March 30 and received 352 responses. The survey asked teachers about their experience with new statewide English and math tests given to students in third through eighth grades.

Of the respondents, about half said the untimed tests took more than nine hours for students to complete, and about 60 percent said they had some sort of technical issue. Schools administer the tests over several days.

Maine students are taking new Measured Progress tests this year, after the Legislature voted last year to drop the Smarter Balanced test after one year because educators and parents said the test was flawed and difficult to administer and take.

State education officials had anticipated that the Measured Progress tests would take less time than the seven-hour average for Smarter Balanced.

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