A computer portal that allows parents to check their children’s ISTEP+ scores has opened, but school-by-school testing results will not be released until September.

The portal opened July 5 to allow parents to check the scores through access provided by Pearson School Assessments, the Indiana Department of Education announced.

Samantha Hart, department spokeswoman, said school corporations statewide were notified the portal was open and each corporation has received preliminary data from the department on its schools.

The data remains preliminary because parents have the opportunity to ask for a rescore on any of the “open-ended” questions on which a student didn’t receive full credit for the answer, Hart said.

After checking the scores on the portal, parents may request a rescore on those items, but must do so before Aug. 12, Hart said.

After that date, the preliminary data will be finalized and prepared for public distribution in September, she said.

Brown County Schools Director of Student Learning Debbie Harman said the district sent letters to parents the week of July 11 letting them know that the scores are now available online. The letter will include a code needed to check the scores.

A letter from the IDOE about how to access the portal also was sent out to parents, Hart said.

A new Indiana law abolishes ISTEP after 2017.

A panel of educators and community leaders, legislators and state education officials are studying what new testing model will be used. They have met twice so far.

The group has until Dec. 1 to make recommendations on a testing program to state officials.