"Government works today", Cuomo said during the announcement of the agreement. "After two years of talking about a teacher evaluation system. Two years ago we passed the law, and we’ve been talking about implementing the system since then. Today the evaluation system, the performance system becomes a reality."

The agreement broadly reflects a 2010 law passed by the Legislature to qualify for $700 million in federal education reform funds.

It allows 20 percent of an evaluation to reflect student progress on state tests. Another 20 percent can be from a list of three testing options, including state standardized tests, third-party assessments or tests approved by the state education department and locally developed tests subject to state approval.

Local districts could also choose to use state test scores for the full, additional 20 percent.