National math scores released Tuesday for city students showed no significant improvement since 2007, in stark contrast to big gains on state tests over the same period. This year, 35% of city fourth-graders tested proficient or above on the national test, compared with 34% in 2007. The numbers are far less rosy than the state results, where 85% of fourth-graders passed the math exams this year, up from 74% in 2007.

The wide gap between results on the national tests and state exams gave more ammunition to critics who argue the state tests have become much easier.

 

"These results show that the state exams are not reliable," said Aaron Pallas, professor at Columbia University's Teachers College. "The national scores undermine the claims by the [Education] Department that students have been making progress."

 

The article "Education Dept., teachers clash on whether fourth, eighth grade math tests results show progress" was published on December 8th, 2009 in the NYdailynews website. http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2009/12/08/2009-12-08_national_math_test_scores.html