These Are The FTCE Exams You Need To Take

Whether you are taking the first steps toward becoming a Florida teacher or you are almost at the finish line, you’ve probably heard of the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations or FTCE. But what exactly do these exams involve? And most importantly, which FTCE test do you need to take? There are quite a few exams, and figuring out which ones to take can be a daunting task. That’s why we have done the work for you!

We’ve broken down the tests by grade level, so you don’t have to waste time sorting through exams that aren’t relevant to you. We will let you know what exams you need to take, the minimum passing score for each exam, and how much each exam costs. We will also provide you with study guides and practice tests so you can start studying right away.

Are you ready? Let’s get started.

What is the FTCE?

FTCE stands for Florida Teacher Certification Examinations. These exams test the skills, content knowledge, and pedagogical knowledge that are required to be a public school teacher in Florida. All the exams include multiple-choice questions, but some also have an essay portion. If your exam includes an essay, take a look at 240 Tutoring’s guidance for constructed-response questions.

Who Has to Take the FTCE?

Anyone who wants to be a teacher in Florida needs to take at least one of these exams. All future teachers must take the General Knowledge (GK) exam and the Professional Education Test or demonstrate general knowledge and professional preparation by other means. You’ll also need to take at least one other exam, depending on the grade level and content you plan to teach.

What FTCE Tests Do I Have to Take?

Once you have submitted your application for certification, the Bureau of Educator Certification will tell you exactly which exams to take. However, we know you want to start preparing before you apply for certification. That’s why we’ve organized the FTCE exams by grade levels and specialties to help clarify which exams you’ll need to take.

All Teachers

Typically, all teachers must take the General Knowledge exam and the Professional Education Test.

The General Knowledge exam tests basic English, reading, and math content and is broken into four subtests:

You can register to take all four exams together or you can take them separately. One subtest costs $32.50 to take, two subtests are $65, three subtests are $97.50, and all four subtests are $130.

To pass the General Knowledge exam you need at least 8 out of 12 points on the essay subtest and a scaled score of at least 200 on each multiple choice subtest. Try our free General Knowledge practice test to see if you’re ready for this exam.

The Professional Education Test (083) is the other exam all teachers must take. This exam covers your knowledge of pedagogical and professional practices. It consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, and you have 2 hours and 30 minutes to finish. The test fee is $150. You need a scaled score of at least 200 to pass the exam.

Ready to start studying for these exams? Comprehensive study guides for both exams (and many others) are included in our FTCE Study Guide subscription.

Worried about what happens if you fail the General Knowledge or Professional Education Test? Our article on FTCE scores goes into detail on what to do if you don’t pass.

Early Childhood

To teach early childhood or preschool students you’ll need to take one of the following exams, along with the General Knowledge exam and Professional Education Test.

The Prekindergarten/Primary PK-3 exam consists of four subtests:

The first time you take the exam, you have to register and take all four subtests at the same time. This costs $150. You’ll need a scaled score of at least 200 on each subtest to pass the overall exam. If you fail one or more subtests, you can retake them individually. For more information on scores and retakes, check out our FTCE Scores article.

Ready to start studying for this exam? Try our free practice tests for each PK-3 subtest, then check out our comprehensive study guide.

The other early childhood exam, Preschool Education (Birth – Age 4), costs $150 and requires a scaled score of 200 to pass.

Elementary

If you’re planning to teach elementary school in Florida, you’ll need to take the Elementary Education K-6 exam and potentially the Reading K-12 exam, along with the General Knowledge and Professional Education Test.

The Elementary Education K-6 exam tests your pedagogical and content knowledge and consists of four subtests:

The first time you register and take the exam, you must take all four subtests. The exam fee is $150 and a scaled score of 200 per subtest is needed to pass. If you fail one or more subtests, you can retake individual subtests at $37.50 for one subtest, $75 for two subtests, or $112.50 for three subtests. For more information about retake policies, check out our article on FTCE scores.

If you’ll be providing intensive reading (Tier 3) instruction to students, you may also have to take the Reading K-12 exam. The Reading K-12 exam is one option available to educators who need the reading endorsement. The exam fee is $150 and a scaled score of at least 200 is needed to pass.

Ready to start prepping for these exams? 240 Tutoring has a free exam overview and practice test for the Reading K-12 exam and for each FTCE K-6 subtest. We also have a comprehensive, test-aligned study guide for both of these exams.

Middle Grades

If you are seeking teacher certification in Florida for grades 5-9, you’ll need to take the General Knowledge Exam, the Professional Education Test, and the exam that corresponds with the subject you plan to teach.

The test fee for each exam is $150. A score of at least 200 is needed to pass each exam. For the written performance section of the Middle Grades English 5-9 exam, you need to score at least 8 of 12 points.

Make sure to check out our free exam overviews and practice tests for the exams you need to take, as well as our FTCE study guides.

*If you plan to provide intensive (Tier 3) reading instruction or reading intervention, you may also have to take the Reading K-12 exam. Like the other exams, there is a $150 fee, a 2 hour and 30 minute time limit, and a passing score of 200. If you’ll be taking this exam, be sure to try our free practice test and consider using our Reading K-12 study guide.

High School

If your goal is to be certified in grades 6-12, you will need to take the General Knowledge exam, the Professional Education Exam, and the subject area exam(s) related to the content you plan to teach.

The test fee for each exam is $150, and a scaled score of at least 200 is needed to pass each exam. For the written performance section of the English 6-12 (013), you need to score at least 8 of 12 points. For additional information on scores, including retake policies, check out our article on FTCE scores.

Worried about preparing for your exam? 240 Tutoring has free exam overviews, free practice tests, and test-aligned study guides for several of the most common FTCE exams.

*If you will be providing intensive (Tier 3) reading intervention, the Reading K-12 exam is an additional test you may have to take. 240 Tutoring offers a free exam overview and practice test for this exam, as well as a complete study guide.

Languages Other than English

To teach Spanish, French, German, or Latin, you’ll need to take one of the following exams in addition to the General Knowledge exam and Professional Education Test.

 

Each exam costs $150 and requires a scaled score of at least 200 to pass. The German K-12 Interview requires a holistic rating of at least intermediate/high.

Specialties, Extracurriculars, and Additional Exams

If you plan to teach an extracurricular subject or specialize in a certain area, you’ll likely need to take one of the following exams:

Each of these exams costs $150 and requires a minimum scaled score of 200 to pass.

240 Tutoring offers free exam overviews and practice tests for the following extracurricular or specialty exams: Physical Education K-12, Health K-12, ESOL K-12, and Exceptional Study Education K-12. Study guides for these exams are also included in 240 Tutoring’s FTCE Study Guide subscription.

Preparing for your FTCE exam takes time and resources, but 240 Tutoring is here to help. If you still have questions about your exam, visit our FTCE page for additional articles and resources.

Ready to dive right into studying? Head over to our study guide page to start your 240 Tutoring subscription.

More FTCE Resources

The Ultimate Guide To Prepare For The FTCE Test

These Are The FTCE Exams You Need To Take

Everything You Need To Know About FTCE Scores

What YOU Need To Do To Register For An FTCE Exam

Your FTCE Costs & Retakes Quick Guide

FTCE – Questions Quick Guide