As of July 1, 2001, students graduating from a Florida state-approved education program must pass all parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) to complete the program. The FTCE is composed of the General Knowledge Test, Professional Education Test, and the Subject Area Examination. The College -Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST), General Knowledge Test, or Praxis is required for admission into the state-approved program. The Professional Education Test and Subject Area Examination (and the General Knowledge Test, if not used for admissions) are required to complete the program.
The Professional Education Test of the FTCE must be taken once all courses with an EDUC prefix, or EDEC prefix for Prekindergarten/Primary Education majors (except for EDUC 4570: Teaching Internship/Seminar) have been completed. A passing score is required to receive clinical practice (internship) placement. In addition to passing the Professional Education Test, acceptance into the clinical practice (internship) is dependent on skill level mastery evidenced in the Portfolio Review.
The Subject Area Examination of the FTCE must be taken once all courses with an ELEM, ESED, EECP, EMDS or SECE prefix (except for the required reading course taken with EDUC 4570) have been completed. The Subject Area Examination of the FTCE should be taken during the clinical practice (internship) experience. A passing score is required to receive a grade for EDUC 4570: Internship/Seminar.
It is the teacher candidate’s responsibility to register for, and pass, these exams in a timely fashion. Placement for the clinical practice (internship), which requires a passing score on the Professional Education Test, or degree conferral, which requires a passing score on Subject Area Examination (and General Knowledge Test if it was not passed as an entry requirement), will be postponed for any teacher candidate who lacks passing test scores. It is the responsibility of the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program to design appropriate activities needed for remediation and to require that passing scores for both the Professional Education Test and Subject Area Examination are on file as well as skill level mastery evidenced in Portfolio Reviews prior to degree conferral.
Passing scores on all parts of the FTCE as a component of program completion and the necessary level of skill mastery as evidenced by the Portfolio Review process are a state law in Florida, and as such, these requirements cannot be waived. These requirements apply to every degree-seeking student in a state-approved program.