New scores released today by the state Department of Education show 86 percent of New York’s students across grades 3 through 8 either met or exceeded math standards on tests taken earlier this year.

Regents Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch said that the state will consider whether the tests, required under the Federal No Child Left Behind Act, should become more difficult. The state began the tests in grades 3 through 8 in 2006, and Tisch said those results will be reviewed to determine what steps the Department of Education should take next. “Over the past four years, we’ve seen incremental progress in math and English performance,” Tisch said.

More of this year’s students are meeting the standards than did students in those grades four years ago, according to a statement released by the state Education Department. However, the state acknowleges that many students are still not meeting the standards.

The Journal News has created an interactive database that shows the results of the English and math tests in grades 3 through 8 for 2006 through 2009. You can find that database here: New York English, Math test scores 2006-2009.

To learn more about the test scores or to see the state’s Power Point presentation released today, visit the New York Department of Education’s web site here: English and math test results.