NASHVILLE (AP) - The Tennessee Department of Education has offered a two-year, $60 million contract to Questar Assessment to administer standardized testing to students.

The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/29s4VVt) reports that if Questar agrees to the contract, students in third through eighth grades will take tests on paper and pencil in the 2016-17 school year. Also, the department will work with Questar to provide an online option for year-end high school exams if the schools and the testing platform demonstrate early proof of successful online administration.

The department said that pursuant to state contract procedures, the deal will be finalized in seven days.

In April, the department canceled a five-year, $108 million contract with Measurement Inc. to administer TNReady online tests statewide. Measurement Inc.'s online platform couldn't meet the demand, and the company later couldn't provide enough paper exams on time.