Rachel Silberstein is reporting for the Times Union the state Education Department has terminated its partnership with Achieve, the national education nonprofit hired to help with an evaluation of New York's graduation standards. The partnership with the consulting group associated with the so-called education reform movement, over "concerns raised by stakeholders," according to the department. The Board of Regents chose Achieve to assist with the project and accepted a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the initial research phase, notwithstanding the roles played by both organizations in the development of the unpopular Common Core curriculum and promotion of test-based accountability for teachers. The state will now work with San Francisco-based nonprofit, WestEd, to research graduation criteria in other states and to collect feedback at regional meetings next month. WestEd has extensive experience conducting research and evaluation studies and assisting states to establish policies and plans, according to a statement released by SED. After the consultants conduct a literature review and gather feedback from stakeholders, the Regents will name a blue-ribbon commission this summer. The commission will have until Winter 2022 to finalize its recommendations in a report. Read the full story in the Times Union.