Portland-based NWEA, a nationally recognized provider of standardized tests and educational research, laid off about 10% of its workforce late last week — about 120 people — just seven months after being acquired by a mega-player in curriculum and schools technology that is owned by a private venture capital firm, a company spokesperson said.

The layoffs, first reported by the Portland Business Journal, were spread across several divisions, but hit hardest on those who worked in the development of test questions, answers and scoring guidance, as well as on sales and sales support, said an employee who was among those let go and requested anonymity because they plan to look for a new job within the relatively small field. About half of the company’s workforce is based in Portland, with the rest working remotely from around the country.

“Changes were based on a thorough review that considered various factors, including duplication of roles, alignment to strategy, and the overall needs of the combined organization,” said Simone Beattie, a senior manager of public relations for NWEA, which as of May 1 is a division of HMH, the Boston-based educational publishing juggernaut. The company did not disclose how much it paid to take over NWEA.

NWEA began 40 years ago as a nonprofit providing tests to three school districts in the Pacific Northwest. It now says about 10,000 school districts in the United States administer its signature MAP Growth test each year.

Employees have been parsing rumors of layoffs for months, ever since word broke of the HMH purchase in January.