The State Department of Education announced Wednesday the results of math and English assessments for grades three through eight, which show for the first time in years that student proficiency is down both city and statewide.

New York City went from 69 percent of students passing the English-language Assessment exam last year to 42 percent of students passing this year – a 39 percent decline.

Statewide, the decline was 31 percent, with 53 percent of students passing the ELA test compared to 77 percent last year.

In math, New York City went from 82 percent passing in 2009 to 54 percent passing this year. The state went from 86 percent to 61 percent.

Traditionally disadvantaged students fared even worse as the number of black and Hispanic students who passed the English exam was cut in half. Sixty percent fewer English language learners and special education students passed. Less than 14 percent of those students were graded proficient.

State officials say they have redefined what it means to be proficient so that it now means students are on track to be ready for college when they graduate.

The state says the dramatic test score gains over the past few years can be attributed to easier tests and test preparation, but that some of those gains were likely due to real improvements in learning, but it will be impossible to know how much students actually improved.

“Today I am urging all New Yorker, and especially parents and teachers in this state, to look at these results, not with disappoint and not with anger, but instead with a renewed commitment to providing all of our children with the tools they need to succeed,” said Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch.

While the number of students in the city passing dropped dramatically, Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester saw an even worse decline.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein said city students' raw scores on the tests were generally still up over the past few years. However, they also admitted many students are still way behind where they should be.

"We're doing better than the system before and not as good as we would like it to be. And you have to constantly...you can't give up, you can't be disappointed, you've gotta look at it and walk out and say this is a challenge," said the mayor.

The mayor has pointed to test score gains as proof his school reforms are working, but now the state is saying the number of city students who are proficient is back to where it was in 2005.

Meanwhile, experts say they have been warning for years that scores were inflated.

"The blame can be shared. It was all too easy for everyone to bask in the glow of this increased performance from year to year without taking a hard look at what was actually happening," said Aaron Pallas of Teachers College.

Test scores are used for school report cards, teacher and principal evaluations and even a cash bonus program.

Students who don't pass state exams have to pass summer school or repeat their grade. But according to the results released Wednesday, 8,500 additional students should have been in school this summer.

The mayor says they'll get a free pass onto the next grade.