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Nearly a third of Florida’s elementary and middle schools dropped a letter grade this year according to the scores released today by the Department of Education. The individual school scores are two months late and their accuracy is being challenged by superintendents who say the testing company responsible for the delay is also responsible for the falling scores. Tom Butler, a spokesman with the Department of Education, says even though the scores are down, the trend is upward.

“If you look at the five year trend for school grades, especially for elementary schools, what you see is, pretty much we’re maintaining the progress that we have, so our schools are still doing great work. Elementary schools are doing great work, middle schools are doing great work,” said Butler.

High school test scores will be out later this year. The individual grades help determine a schools funding. Many are likely to be appealed.