Students to Test New Common Core Assessments

WASHINGTON (AP) — What's on the new Common Core-based assessments?

More than 4 million kids in U.S. schools will soon have a clue.

Field testing begins this coming week in 36 states and the District of Columbia on separate assessments developed by two different groups of states to align with the standards.

Participating students will be asked to sit for hours in front of a computer or use a No. 2 pencil to answer questions.

The scores won't count and the actual tests won't be used for another year.

These field tests are a chance to judge factors such as the quality of each test question and the technical capabilities of schools to administer the tests.

The field tests come as the standards face political push-back in many states.