The United States Department of Education has announced its plans to award up to $350 million to states that are willing to revamp their standardized testing procedures.

In order to be eligible for the funding, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the new tests must be designed to accurately measure how much the student has learned throughout the year while also reflecting what the student is capable of doing. The goal of the testing will be to make certain the students are ready to attend college or to pursue a career after completing high school.

The criteria for these grants was developed after completing 10 public meetings throughout the country. The funding that is to be used for these grants will be provided through the $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” grant competition, which focuses on turning around low-performing schools and improving student achievement.