Indiana students who prepare for the state's standardized tests in a few years may find they face a harder exam.

State Superintendent Tony Bennett told the Indiana Education Roundtable on Wednesday that the new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, test in the 2014-2015 school year will be more difficult than the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress Plus exam because it measures the progress of students differently. He said the questions will cover fewer topics at a greater depth.

The new test will also include a cumulative skills assessment in 11th grade so colleges have a better sense of which students may need remediation before pursuing a degree.

The new PARCC assessment will be a common standardized test used in multiple states. The test received a $186 million "Race to the Top" grant from the U.S. Department of Education.