Rick Karlin is reporting for the Times Union a new state law has permanently eliminated the mandatory link between student exam scores and teacher evaluations. The new law covers several aspects of testing and teacher evaluations. While tests of some kind are needed in the evaluation process, there is no longer a requirement that evaluations be tied to the state grade 3 through 8 math and English assessments. It also removed a major penalty for teachers whose students do badly on their exams and other student performance measures. Previously, if too many did poorly, the teacher or a principal, could have been rated as “ineffective” on a part of their evaluation. Under the new measure, schools can devise their own tests or purchase them from vendors. The assessments do need approval by the Education Department, however. One question left unanswered by the new legislation centered on the timing of the changes. If a school district and its union cannot agree on a new plan, they would stay with the existing evaluation plan until a new one is worked into a new contract. Read the full story in the Times Union.