Matthew Hamilton is reporting in the Times Union the state Education Department Mon., Jul. 17, released a revised schools accountability proposal. The plan lays out the state's intention to use out-of-school suspensions as a measure of school quality and student success beginning in the 2018-19 school year; to decrease math and English language arts testing requirements from three days to two for students in grades 3 through 8; and to revise benchmarks for schools educating English language learners. The proposal was also revised to more explicitly spell out concerns about the implementation of the new state law that raises the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18, and the resulting impact on educational services as minors transition from incarceration. The plan is scheduled to be adopted in September. Read the full story in the Times Union.