An appeals court sounded skeptical Tuesday of a Leon County judge’s ruling that the state and the Hernando County School Board erred in their approach to students who “opted out” of a state standardized test.

During arguments, at least two members of a three judge-panel at the First District Court of Appeal seemed to disagree, at times sharply, with Circuit Judge Karen Gievers’ decision to order Hernando County to offer an alternative route for students to qualify for the fourth grade.