Several education proposals that did not make it into New York State's budget agreement are likely to remain hot topics through June when the legislative session comes to a close, most prominently teacher evaluations and mayoral control of the schools.

While New York State United Teachers President Karen Magee declared victory on Monday because Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal to have student test scores count for 50 percent of a teacher's evaluation did not make it into the budget, she acknowledged concerns about tasking state education officials with changing the evaluation system.

She urged parents to boycott the state tests next month, to keep the heat on state leaders. "At this point in time yes we are encouraging parents to opt out," she said.

Her call for a boycott was immediately criticized by the group High Achievement New York, which sees a value in testing students and in using those scores to assess teachers. Its members include the Business Council of New York State, the Urban League and StudentsFirstNY, which frequently criticizes the unions. 

During the budget talks, the governor and legislative leaders put aside the question of renewing mayoral control of New York City's school system. Mayor Bill de Blasio said he hoped lawmakers would grant him long-term renewal, instead of a short-term renewal proposed by the governor, given its bipartisan support.

“I remain hopeful knowing the incredible consensus in this city on mayoral control and the many, many voices that have been raised in the last few weeks demanding a renewal of mayoral control,” de Blasio said. 

The future of mayoral control is likely to be linked to additional charter schools, another Cuomo proposal left out of the budget, when the legislature gets back to business this spring.

One item that didn't make it into the budget and may not survive the legislative session: the DREAM Act, which would let undocumented immigrant students access tuition assistance. Republican Senate Leader Dean Skelos made it very clear that he continued to oppose the measure.

"We don’t believe that people that are here illegally should have an advantage over kids whose families are taking out student loans," he said on Monday.

Steve Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coaltion, refuted the link.

"It was simply giving them equal footing when it comes to being able to access higher education," he said, adding that about 4,000 undocumented students graduate high school each year in New York,  and many of them are applying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.