What is the FTCE Elementary Education K–6: Science (603) Passing Score?
The FTCE Elementary Education K–6 Subtest 3: Science (603) exam consists of 45 multiple choice questions, and you must achieve a scaled score of 200 to pass. A maximum of 71% of questions must be answered correctly to pass.
How is the FTCE (603) Exam Scored?
Florida uses a centralized bank of questions for each exam, out of which each student will receive different sets of questions. Since the questions are all different, a direct head-to-head comparison (known as a raw score) is impossible, so the questions are weighted by difficulty. To sum up a complicated issue, this means that on a test with 100 questions that requires a 70% to pass, answering 68 really hard questions correct could be enough to reach the passing threshold, even though the raw score would be a fail; inversely, answering 72 questions correctly which are all rated as “easy” could mean that the exam is scored below 70%. Make sense? Of course not, but it’s the system! On the whole, when preparing for the exam, aiming for that 70% of questions correct target is a safe benchmark to work with, even though your final score report may ultimately vary a bit.
When Will I Get My Score?
In Florida, official score reports for multiple choice exams are received on the spot at the conclusion of the exam. A more comprehensive score report will be posted to your account within 4 weeks of the test date.
How Do I Understand My FTCE Score Report?
This one’s easy: if you pass, you will see the “PASS” status on your score report. If you do not pass, you will see the “NOT PASS” status on your score report with a numeric score.
For those who pass the exam, this is probably the end of what you need to know. For those who fail the exam, you will want to study your comprehensive score report closely in order to dissect what you did wrong so that you can correct it for next time.
For more information on understanding your score report, see here.
What if I Need to Retake the FTCE 603 Exam?
If you happen to fail the exam, don’t fret, it happens all the time. To retake the exam, you will just need to wait 31 days and pay the exam fee again. No problem!
Please PAY ATTENTION to that ‘31 days’ part: the registration system does not block you from re-registering within 31 days. Instead, it allows you to register and take the exam again, but when your score is processed and the administrators figure out that you didn’t wait the full time, they’ll then invalidate the new score and keep your fee payment (no refunds). So be wary and make sure to wait it out.
Also: if you happen to fail the exam within 10 scale points of passing, there is an option called a Score Verification session, wherein for $75 you can review your test and submit scoring challenges for review. This could result in a score being changed from a Fail to a Pass, so it’s an option worth knowing about should you find yourself in this position!
Final Thoughts
The FTCE Elementary Education K–6 Subtest 3: Science (603) exam can be tough, but it shouldn’t feel daunting. With the right preparation you can go into the test feeling confident, and confidence pays dividends. Please feel free to peruse our resources and put them to full use- we want you to succeed! Good luck and please reach out to us if you have any questions or if we can help in any way.
More FTCE Elementary Education K–6: Science (603) Resources
