By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – The State Education Department yesterday released the results of math tests given this year to students in the third through eighth grades in New York. They show nearly three-quarters of all students met the state standards in Math.
Education Commissioner Richard Mills is hailing the results. This year's number of a 73 percent achievement rate is up from last year's of 66 percent.
In Buffalo, 36 percent of students met the Math standards in grades three through eight, up from the 2006 figure of 29 percent. Students in the fourth grade performed the best with an achievement rate of 44 percent. But that number falls to 25 percent for eighth grade students in Buffalo.
The state Board of Regents enacted a stricter state standard in Math two years ago. Regents Chancellor Robert Bennett said he's encouraged by this year's numbers.
Several of the area's suburban school districts exceeded the state average for student achievement in Math. For instance, nearly 93 percent of third through eighth grade students in the Williamsville Central School District met or exceeded state standards in Math this year.
The complete report is available on the State Education Department web site.
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