DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa education officials are close to adopting new computerized exams for students in the state’s 336 school districts, but critics question whether the new tests are worth the cost. The Des Moines Register reports the state Board of Education is likely to drop multiple choice tests with paper answer sheets in favor of Smarter Balanced’s adaptive computerized tests.

Critics question the value of the $8.3 million tests because of the potential for technical problems, and the fact that school districts may have to upgrade their wireless networks to administer them. But supporters say the computerized tests provide valuable information because they can change the difficulty of future questions based on a student’s answers.