SPRINGFIELD - A new battery of tests could be in the offing for high school freshmen and sophomores.

Illinois education officials announced Tuesday that the state will pay the costs of administering the standardized tests as a way to help schools and students assess their progress early in their high school years.

The tests, called the EXPLORE and PLAN assessments, are aimed at helping fill an information gap that occurs between state-mandated testing of eighth-graders and the Prairie State Achievement Exam in 11th grade, officials said.

"We need to be able to provide students, teachers and administrators with this type of high-quality information in order for them to be able to make sound decisions about future steps," said state school Superintendent Christopher Koch.

Some school districts already offer the tests. Under the new program, the state will pay for the tests if any district wants to administer them.

"It is voluntary on the part of school districts," said Matt Vanover, Illinois State Board of Education spokesman.

The tests are designed to help prepare ninth-graders for their high school coursework and post-high school choices. They contain tests on English, mathematics, reading and science.

Mike Williams, superintendent of the Maroa-Forsyth School District, said the district already uses the tests. The tests help students prepare for the ACT portion of state tests, as well as identify any weaknesses in the district's curriculum.

A portion of the test also helps measure a student's personal career choices.

It is not clear how many districts will take up the state on its offer. The estimated cost to taxpayers is about $2.3 million.

"It is our hope that many will take advantage of this," Vanover said.

As for the tests themselves, they will take students about two hours to complete.

With the crush of other state-mandated tests, Vanover said that is why the tests are voluntary.

"If schools think there is too much testing, that's up to them," Vanover.

Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 789-0865.