A reader writes:
“Cuomo talking about reducing standardized-test-based evaluation of teachers N.Y. State schools has all the credibility of O.J. Simpson talking about his on-going search for “the real killer” while he was golfing several hours a day (prior to O.J.’s imprisonment, of course.)”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I disagree. Cuomo is above all else, a self-serving megalomaniac. Cuomo’s poll numbers are tanking, especially regarding his education agenda. Chris Gibson is breathing down his neck. Tisch is out and the Regents will be flipping soon. The prospects of 500,000+ opt outs in April has him quaking in his boots as it would sound his political death knell. If he really ends up pulling the rug out on this policy reversal he would only damage his political future irreparably. Cuomo is a nasty vindictive bastard but he’s no fool. If he fails to walk this back he is finished, and he knows it.
Saving face will be easy as he will probably call for a moratorium which doesn’t just kick the can down the road, but kicks it down the storm sewer where it will drift out of sight and out of mind. The ESEA re-write will also provide political cover as the new law will eliminate the NCLB waiver requirement/RTTT criteria for tying test scores to teacher evaluations. Hillary’s recently spoke out against this as well and I imagine Andy wants to get on her good side. Cuomo will end up throwing Ellia under the bus on this and the press will conveniently forget Andy’s central role in promoting the use of Common Core test scores as the primary means of evaluating teachers.