Many school districts in Northeast Florida saw a slight drop in  the number of third-graders who tested well on the FCAT reading exams, according  to state data released Thursday.

Superintendents said they expected the dip because the reading portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test was  m.... Because of that, directly comparing the  2012 results to last year's "would be like comparing apples to oranges," said  Gerard Robinson, Florida's education commissioner.

Third-graders across the state who take the FCAT must score at  level 2 or higher on the reading portion in order to pass third grade. Students  who score lower are at risk of being held back or required to take some kind of  remediation, such as summer school.

Search our updated FCAT database to find your school's scores

To help school districts better compare individual schools' progress, state  officials have compiled an online database that more accurately compares 2012  scores to 2011.