JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Schools across Florida got their grades Friday, and the report card was not good for Duval County and dozens of other school districts.

The Department of Education said the number of failing schools nearly quadrupled in 2007 while the number of schools that earned A or B grades fell more than 6 percent.

Four Jacksonville high schools were given F's in grades based largely on scores from their students' Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests: Forrest, Andrew Jackson, Raines and Ribault. For Ribault, this is the second F in a row and the fifth in the past six years.

Northwestern Middle School and four elementary schools also received F grades: North Shore, Pinedale, Rutledge-Pearson and Woodson. None of these schools failed last year.

Two charter schools -- SOS Academy and Wayman Academy -- also got F's.

The Duval County school district offices are closed on Friday. School Superintendent Joseph Wise and no members of his administration was available for comment on the grades, but School Board Chairwoman Vicki Drake called late Friday to say they were concerned about school performance and would be working hard and bringing the grades back up next year.

School officials expected grades to drop this year because the science portion of the FCAT testing was counted in the grading this year and it also measured gains in math by the lowest performing 25 percent.

Eighty-two schools received F grades compared to 21 a year ago. The total of D and F schools more than doubled, increasing from 143 to 302 while 136 fewer schools received A or B grades.

Not all the news was bad for Duval County educators. Six Duval schools improved by two letter grades; one improved by three letter grades. Statewide, more than two-thirds of schools received either A's or B's, compared to 75 percent that had the same marks in 2006.

There were no F schools in neighboring counties, although some grades dropped.

Clay County:

Charles Bennett and Doctors Inlet elementaries dropped from A to C, but Clay Hill improved from B to A.

Fleming Island High School dropped to a B, but Clay High stayed at a B and Middleburg and Orange Park high schools stayed at a C.

St. Johns County:

For the first time ever, grades for Nease and Bartram Trail high schools dropped to Bs.

St. Augustine High's grade rose from D to B and Menendez rose one grade -- from C to B.

Nassau County:

West Nassau High dropped from a C to D.

Hilliard Middle-Senior High dropped from A to B.

Fernandina Beach High School retained its B grade.

Yulee High School received a C grade in its first year.

Baker County:

Baker County High School dropped from C to D.

Bradford County:

Bradford High School dropped from C to D.

Columbia County:

Columbia High was graded D -- the same as the past two years.

Flagler County:

Matanzas High School dropped from C to D.

Flagler-Palm Coast High dropped from B to C.

Putnam County:

All three high schools retained their C grades.

Clay County Superintendent David Owens said he is not satisfied but is pleased with this year's results.

"We always have room to grow. We know where our weaknesses are," Owens said. "We did have a couple of schools go down a letter grade, but overall I think our students and teachers did an outstanding job and should be commended. Once again, Clay County’s educators came through for our children."

St. Johns County's superintendent also focused on the improvements in this year's grades.

"I am very pleased with our results, especially since the state raised the bar again this year," St. Johns County Superintendent Dr. Joseph Joyner said." Our district grade reflects the emphasis we place on continuous improvement for all students at all grade levels."

Across the state only about 69 percent of schools earned A or B grades, down from 75 percent in 2006, Education Commissioner Jeanine Blomberg said. The total of D and F schools more than doubled, increasing from 143 to 302 while 136 fewer schools received A or B grades.

Two elementary schools -- in Escambia and St. Lucie counties -- fell from an A one year ago to an F this year.

"We're right on target in terms of what we anticipated would occur this year," Blomberg said. "One of the major messages here is that we have raised the bar. Three times since 2000. That is exactly the intent in terms of increasing student performance."

The schools that get an A are eligible for a $100 per student reward under the "A-Plus" school accountability plan that began in 1999 under then-Gov. Jeb Bush.

But the system has been unpopular with Democrats since its origin. They say it puts too much emphasis on high-stakes testing while the state's schools remain underfunded.