The newest installment in the saga known as New York’s Common Core began Monday with a “new” cast of characters. Actually, some of the members of the task force named by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to review and revamp the state’s hugely unpopular school testing curriculum are quite familiar in education circles.

They include MaryEllen Elia, commissioner of the state Education Department; Nancy Zimpher, chancellor of the State University system; Randi Weingarten, president, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), AFLCIO; Catalina R. Fortino, vice president, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), and Tim Kremer, executive director of the state School Boards Association. Heavy hitters.

The task force also includes a school superintendent, a principal, teachers, a parent, business executives and state Senate and Assembly education committee chairmen. It has until the end of the year to do its job. Ostensibly, that job is to make recommendations that would make the tests more accurately reflect a student’s preparedness to move on in school and, eventually, in the world. So far, results have been poor. In 2015, just 31 percent of the state’s students passed the reading tests; 38 percent passed the math exams. 

The tests have been widely criticized for their length, subject matter, haste with which they were implemented and, not insignificantly, the fact that Cuomo insists that test results play a major part in evaluating teachers. Linking teachers’ evaluations more heavily to the already unpopular tests fed the widespread “opt-out” movement this year, with thousands of parents statewide choosing to have their children stay home rather than take the tests. The state wisely chose not to make good on a threat to withhold aid to school districts with high opt-out numbers.

Including all major stakeholders on the task force is obviously also a wise move by Cuomo, but that connectivity between the tests and teacher evaluations remains critical. Indeed, as the Common Core task force decides when to hold its first meeting, school districts are under pressure to have tougher teacher evaluation plans approved by the state by Nov. 15. (A hardship waiver is available for four months, which protects the district’s state aid.) 

So how do these two major education reforms on apparently separate tracks link up for the benefit of students and teachers? Do they have to? (Cuomo says yes.) Can the Common Core task force make the tests fairer for students and teachers without significantly lowering standards? Do teachers have to change their methods? Is teaching to the test inevitable?

Thus far, the state has talked about changing the name of the tests, making them shorter, having fewer of them and hiring a new testing company. Surface fixes. Apparently no one is talking (publicly at any rate) about whether standardized tests are necessary or if there are other ways to measure students’ capabilities and knowledge.

So, if New York is going to continue to measure its students’ abilities through standardized tests it is obviously a good idea to review and revise the way Common Core is administered. But if the governor believes those test results must be a part of grading teachers’ performance, he should also review his own teacher evaluation policies. Fair is fair.