New York State Education Department, instead of making the Regents exam a test that measures a student's academic proficiency, has made the gateway Math test easier to pass by artificially lowering the "cut scores" for the second year in a row. According to the New York Post article the 2017 Algebra I Regents cut scores were lowered to 27 correct answers out of 86 questions or only 31.4% to receive a passing grade of 65%. Last year the cut scores were 30 out of 86 or 34.9%. Compare that to the first year of the Algebra 1 Common Core Regents exam when the cut scores were set at 31 correct answers out of 86, or 36.1% to achieve a passing grade of 85%. See one Math teacher's comparison Here.
Last year the lower cut scores resulted in a 10% increase in the New York City passing rate and its expected that an even larger percentage increase is expected this year since the 2017 cut scores are significantly lower. The New York State Regents used to be the "gold standard" of student proficiency in a subject. However, the political influences that affect the State Education Department has interfered with the educational process and is seen in the changing cut scores to achieve a certain passing percentage of the Regents exam.
If there is a silver lining for the lower cut scores, it's that Math teachers who have their student growth measures affected by the Math Regents exam will get a higher growth score factor since more of their and the school's students will have received a passing grade.
While I understand that the gateway Regents exams of Algebra 1, Living Environment, and Global were dumbed down to get more students to pass. The continued lowering of the cut scores to meet an academic goal is simply political and is academic fraud as the State practices perception over reality when it comes to real academic progress.