Are the state tests too easy?

Today's New York Times' cover reads "U.S. Math Tests Find Scant Gains Across New York: Scores Renew Criticism that Albany Testing is Just Too Easy".


The state tests appear to be too easy compared to the national tests:

Grade 4 Samples of NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress): http://nationsreportcard.gov/math_2009/sample_quest.asp

Grade 8 Samples: http://nationsreportcard.gov/math_2009/sample_quest.asp?tab_id=tab2&subtab_id=Tab_1#chart