The New York Post reports that David Abrams, assistant commissioner, who tops Office of Standards, Assessment and Reporting for the states's school system, is getting the boot. The $147,000-a-year commish released a memo and 49-page testing guide for principals early that revealed that reading tests in grades three to eight will go from nearly two to four hours in length. Math tests will go to three hours over two days, according to the Post.

Students, of course, are unhappy. And parents and teachers want the system to go easier on the little ones.

Hope remains for an easier test-load, at least for now. The official word from the State Education Department says future tests will be longer, yes, but on the details in the memo, nothing is set yet. Final decisions about said details rests with the commissioner and need to move their way through the bureaucracy first.

As for Abrams' departure, the official reason? No word; it's a personnel matter. At least it wasn't for personal reason, or to spend more time with his family.

While the SED spokeperson made no official comment, the Post's deep sources suggest the knives were already out for Abrams after the state's testing system needed a major reboot in 2010. Still others, according to the paper, said the former chief was a loyal solder, who did what he was told to from above.

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