The Florida Teacher Certifications Examinations (FTCE) are a series of exams designed for future Florida educators to evaluate their skills and knowledge in several content areas. The categories are divided between the General Knowledge Test (GK), the Professional Education Test (PEd), and the Subject Area Examinations (SAE). The content of each examination varies, so the scoring will vary slightly as well. Each exam has varying percentages of questions that need to be answered correctly in order to pass. However, FTCE scores are scaled, so there is no specific number of questions that need to be answered correctly.
The three tests for the FTCE are:
The general knowledge test is further divided into 4 sub-tests:
The general knowledge test assesses candidates on their basic knowledge and skills in the areas listed above. The professional education test assesses candidates' skills in pedagogy, which is the practice of teaching. The subject area examinations assess candidates' knowledge in the subject areas they wish to teach; for example, an aspiring junior high mathematics teacher would take the Mathematics 6-12 subject area examination. There are 39 different subject area examinations; most candidates will only take one. A few of the different subject area examinations include:
FTCE passing scores are based on a scale using a raw score conversion method. Exams will have multiple-choice questions and essay prompts; some exams will have both question types while others will have only one of them. For example, the general knowledge test has an essay subtest that only has one essay question for the entire exam, while the Art K-12 exam only has multiple-choice questions. Essay responses are holistically scored on a scale of up to 12 points, and candidates need to score at least an 8 to pass an essay exam. Tests comprised of multiple-choice questions require a minimum scaled score of 200 to pass.
Every multiple-choice portion of each test or sub-test requires a minimum scaled score of 200 to pass; since the number of questions on each test differs, there is no universal number of questions needed to answer correctly for passing. If candidates are concerned about the number of questions they need to get right, the Florida Department of Education has general guidelines for achieving passing scores using a system of percentages. For example, the maximum percentage of correct answers needed to pass the Art K-12 subject area examination is 69%. The Reading subtest on the general knowledge exam requires 75% of questions to be answered correctly.
The FTCE pass rate for all 3 tests and their subtests is reported by the Florida Department of Education. The pass rate is the percentage of students who took the test and passed, either on their first try or after a retake. For the year 2019, the first-time pass rate for all 39 subject area examinations combined was 63%. The pass rate for retakes was 44%. The first-time pass rate for all of the general knowledge subtests combined was 62%. The pass rate for retakes was 33%. The first-time pass rate for the professional education test was 78%. The pass rate for retakes was 47%.
While there is a minimum passing score of 200 for multiple-choice questions and a minimum passing score of 8/12 for essay questions, the FTCE score is rated as pass or fail. That means that as long as candidates meet the minimum passing score, they have passed. Their evaluation and performance as teachers are not measured by or contingent upon how high of a score they achieved. A candidate who has achieved a score of 200 will earn the same credentials as a candidate who achieved a perfect score.
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You may be wondering "when do I get my FTCE score?" or "when do the FTCE results come out?" Candidates can expect their FTCE test results a few weeks after taking the test. Their results will be reported to them and any additional places they've requested the scores be sent to. If a candidate has not passed and feels their scores are wrong, they can request a score verification for an extra fee, but exclusions apply.
Wondering how to obtain the original FTCE score report? The official FTCE score report is available to candidates 4 weeks after the date they took the test; if they took multiple tests or subtests on the same day, the FTCE result date for each test will be the same day. Score reports are available in candidates' testing accounts. Passing test results are additionally reported to the Bureau of Educator Certification as well as to any college, university, or post-secondary program a candidate may be in if they requested to do so.
If you're curious as to how to obtain the duplicate FTCE score report, you can fill out a request form on the FTCE/FELE Contractor website. An extra fee is required in order to obtain duplicate FTCE scores. Duplicate FTCE score reports are sent within two weeks of sending the request form. They can be posted directly to candidates' official testing accounts or they can be sent in the mail as a hard copy.
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Create AccountWhile FTCE test results are reported on a pass or fail basis, it may help to understand the scoring and reporting process when preparing to take the test. Learning how to calculate the FTCE score with an FTCE raw score calculator could help you determine your scores when taking an FTCE practice test, particularly with any essay sections.
You may be wondering how the FTCE is scored when there are essay responses. That's when holistic scoring is done. Holistic scoring of the essay responses is done by two qualified educators who rate the responses by their overall quality and effectiveness at addressing the essay question; the response is scored by assessing a number of factors that come together as a whole, such as organization, focus, and style. The scorers follow a rigorous procedure with security and oversight to ensure their scoring is not biased or unfair. Each scorer gives a score based on a scale of 1-6; since there are two scorers, a candidate's total raw score for an essay can range from 2-12.
How are FTCE tests scored? How is an FTCE score calculated from the raw score to the scaled score? This process can seem confusing, but using a scaled scoring system makes it easier to interpret exam results across multiple types of tests that have varying question counts and difficulties. Using a raw scale conversion formula, the number of multiple-choice questions a candidate gets right is converted to a scaled score. So, for example, if a candidate scores 40 out of 50 questions, that is their raw score; this number would be converted to a scale where 200 is the minimum passing score.
FTCE score reporting dates correspond to the date that a candidate has taken a test or subtest. So, for example, all candidates who have taken one or more tests or subtests on a certain date will all receive their FTCE test results on the same scheduled day. The official website for the Florida Teacher Certification Exam posts FTCE test score release dates. Candidates can expect to get an email notification when their scores are available.
If you're wondering how long do FTCE results take, you may be relieved to hear that you can obtain FTCE scores within four weeks after the date you took your test, sub-test, or multiple tests. This four-week window is the same for all FTCE tests and sub-tests. For tests and sub-tests that are multiple-choice only, such as the Mathematics sub-test on the General Knowledge Test, an unofficial pass/non-pass score report is available immediately after taking the FTCE test. Tests that are being redeveloped or revised may follow a slightly different release schedule, but official score reports will still be available within the four-week window. Tests are offered continuously year-round, so FTCE test dates will correspond, making for faster access.
Official FTCE score results are available on the account you use to register for the test with, which is the FTCE exam website. When scores are ready, a notice will be emailed to candidates who are expecting scores that day. Scores are additionally reported to a candidate's academic institution or preparation program if they request it during the registration process; doing so is highly recommended for those who are in a preparation program.
FTCE scores will be available in a candidate's official testing account for 5 years if they have taken the test after January 2018; prior test results may require a duplicate score report to be requested. The scores for any and all tests and subtests that have been taken within the last 5 years will be available.
If you wish to send your scores to an institution or other program where it would be required or useful to report them, you must request this option when registering for each test/sub-test you wish to take. You can also request scores after registration as long as you have not taken the test yet. This way, when scores are reported, they are automatically sent to the place(s) you've requested. If you need to send your FTCE scores after you've already taken the test, you must request a copy of your scores and send them directly yourself.
You may be wondering 'What is score verification for FTCE?' Score verification is when you can request for scorers to re-score any essay portions of tests or sub-tests if you feel your score is wrong. Score verification can only be done if you have failed a test within 10 scale score points of the passing scale score, which is 200, or have received a 'NOT PASS.' Score verification cannot be done for the purpose of studying or improving performance; correct answers and information on improving scores is not given. Candidates must register for a score verification session within 30 days of receiving their results; walk-ins are not accepted.
What is a score verification session? It's when an examinee can review multiple-choice and written answers or performances. This is done at a testing center on a computer where candidates are closely monitored. It is not the same as retaking a test and candidates are not allowed to submit new answers. Instead, they are taught how to read score reports and how to challenge the scoring system in order to review their scores. Candidates must explain why they chose the answers they did and why they feel a score review is necessary. After the score verification session, officials from the Florida Department of Education will examine the score review requests.
It does cost extra to request a score verification session. Candidates must pay a $75 fee for the session; this is done during FTCE registration for the session. The FTCE test cost must be paid using a debit, credit, or check card. If a candidate cancels their score verification session at least 24 hours in advance, they will be issued a refund. If it is canceled later than that or the candidate is absent, no refund will be issued.
If you don't know how to apply for FTCE retest, the process is fairly simple. You register and pay for a retest the same way you do for a first try - through your account on the official website of FTCE. You only have to retake the tests or sub-tests you didn't pass; for example, if you passed the Reading and Math sub-tests on the General Knowledge Test but not the Essay or English Language Skills sub-tests, you would not have to take the entire FTCE General Knowledge Test over again, only the Reading and Math sub-tests.
FTCE retest dates depend on the date that a candidate took their initial test. Candidates who have failed one or more tests or subtests must wait at least 31 days before attempting a retake. If candidates requested a score verification session, they must wait 31 days after the session. Candidates who have passed must wait three years. You cannot schedule a retake test before you have received your score report; the appointment will be canceled. There is no limit to how many times you can retest until you pass.
Emily Lopes, M.S. has worked in education for 11 years in roles ranging from high school teacher to academic administrator. She has passed the FTCE General Knowledge Test, the Professional Education Test, and the English 6-12 Subject Area Exam. Emily received her M.S. in Higher Education Administration and her B.A. in English Education (6-12) from the University of North Florida.
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FTCE test results are available in a candidate's testing account within 4 weeks of the date they took the test.
You can access all of your FTCE test results by going to the account you used to register for the test.
The FTCE test can be a difficult exam to pass, but with the right study program, you can get the FTCE test results you wish to achieve.
A score verification session is when a candidate requests for their FTCE test results to be reviewed if they feel they have not received an accurate score.
FTCE scores are scaled so that a universal passing score is applicable to each type of test and sub-test. A 200 is needed for multiple-choice questions and an 8/12 is needed for essay responses.
FTCE scores take up to 4 weeks from the date of the test to be sent to the candidate and any institution or program they've requested.
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The figure above is a topographic map.
