- You need a scaled score of at least 200 on each multiple-choice subtest plus 6 of 8 points on the essay rubric.
- The essay rubric changed from 8-of-12 points to 6-of-8, which changes how you should prep for the 825 subtest.
- Standard English Conventions is 50% of the ELS subtest - the single heaviest weight anywhere in the exam.
- Failed subtests require a 31-calendar-day wait to retake, with no cap on total attempts.
Why There's No Single Published Pass Rate
If you're searching for one clean "FTCE GK (082) pass rate" percentage, you're going to be disappointed - and for good reason. The FTCE General Knowledge Test is not one exam with one outcome. It's four separate subtests - Essay (825), English Language Skills (826), Reading (827), and Mathematics (828) - each scored and passed independently. A candidate can pass three subtests on the first try and need two additional appointments for the fourth. That candidate isn't a "fail," but they're also not a clean first-attempt "pass." Aggregating that into a single number would obscure more than it reveals.
What matters far more than a headline statistic is understanding how the passing standard is structured, because that structure tells you exactly where most candidates lose points. For a full walkthrough of every content area tested, see the FTCE GK (082) Exam Domains 2026 guide, and for the mechanics of the score itself, the FTCE GK (082) Passing Score breakdown is worth reading alongside this article.
How Passing Actually Works
Florida Department of Education Rule 6A-4.0021, F.A.C. governs the exam, and Pearson's NES platform administers it at computer-based centers. The passing bar is consistent and unambiguous:
- English Language Skills (826): scaled score of at least 200
- Reading (827): scaled score of at least 200
- Mathematics (828): scaled score of at least 200
- Essay (825): at least 6 of 8 points on the current rubric
That essay threshold is worth pausing on. The rubric used to require 8 of 12 points; it has since been replaced by a 6-of-8 scale. If you trained using older prep materials referencing the 12-point rubric, you're studying against the wrong target - a subtle but common way candidates misjudge their own readiness. All four subtests must eventually show a passing result before you're certified as having met the general knowledge requirement, but you never have to pass them simultaneously.
Key Takeaway
Score verification, if you want your multiple-choice results manually reconfirmed, costs $75. Given that pass/non-pass status typically appears immediately with full reports following within four weeks, most candidates only request this when a result is unexpectedly close to the 200 threshold.
Subtest-by-Subtest Breakdown
Each subtest has its own format, timing, and question style, and each behaves differently in terms of where candidates struggle. Every form may also include unscored field-test items mixed in with scored questions, so there's no way to identify which questions "count" - a reason to treat every item with equal seriousness.
| Subtest | Format | Time | Passing Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay (825) | One essay prompt | 50 minutes | 6 of 8 rubric points |
| English Language Skills (826) | ~30 multiple-choice | 40 minutes | Scaled score ≥ 200 |
| Reading (827) | ~30 multiple-choice, passage-based | 55 minutes | Scaled score ≥ 200 |
| Mathematics (828) | ~35 multiple-choice | 1 hour 40 minutes | Scaled score ≥ 200 |
Reading is entirely passage-based, with roughly five expository and narrative passages per form - meaning every question traces back to a specific text rather than standalone recall, which changes how you should practice (read for structure and evidence location, not memorization). Mathematics is the only subtest where you're given tools: a mathematics reference sheet and an on-screen four-function calculator are provided, but personal calculators are prohibited, so practicing exclusively with your own calculator beforehand can actually work against you.
If you sit for all four subtests in a single appointment, you earn a 15-minute break partway through - a small but real consideration when you're deciding whether to split subtests across multiple registrations or take everything at once. The FTCE GK (082) Exam Dates guide covers how to plan appointment scheduling around this.
Which Domains Drive the Most Retakes
Because each subtest is scored independently against a fixed 200-point bar, the internal weighting of each subtest's domains tells you where a marginal candidate is most likely to fall short. Two domains stand out as disproportionately heavy:
Standard English Conventions (ELS Subtest, 50%)
This is the single heaviest-weighted competency anywhere on the exam. Half of every English Language Skills question pool draws from this one domain, which covers grammar, usage, sentence structure, and mechanics at a formal, edited-prose level.
- Subject-verb agreement, pronoun reference, and modifier placement in complex sentences
- Punctuation conventions in professional and academic writing contexts
- Sentence-level revision and error identification, not just recognition
Probability, Statistics, and Data Interpretation (Mathematics Subtest, 33%)
This is the largest single share of the Mathematics subtest, ahead of Algebraic Thinking (29%), Geometry and Measurement (21%), and Number Sense (17%).
- Reading and interpreting tables, charts, and graphed data sets
- Calculating basic probability, mean, median, and range
- Drawing valid conclusions from displayed data without over-relying on the calculator
Because Language Structure and Vocabulary Application each carry 25% of the ELS subtest, and Reading's three domains (Key Ideas and Details at 40%, Integration of Information and Ideas at 35%, and Text Structure and Meaning at 25%) are more evenly distributed, the ELS and Math subtests are where a single weak area can do the most damage to your scaled score. A full breakdown of all eleven domains, including how they interact across subtests, is in the exam domains guide.
Registration and Retake Mechanics That Shape Your Odds
The fee structure is tiered by how many subtests you register for in one appointment: $32.50 for one, $65 for two, $97.50 for three, and $130 for all four - and retakes are charged at those same rates. This has a direct strategic implication: because you only retake subtests you failed, someone who fails just Mathematics on a four-subtest attempt pays the single-subtest rate to retake it, not the full four-subtest fee again.
- There's no coursework prerequisite to sit for the exam - Florida also allows the general knowledge requirement to be met via qualifying GRE, SAT, ACT, or CLT scores, or a master's degree or higher.
- Failed subtests require a 31-calendar-day wait before retaking, and there is no cap on the number of attempts.
- A subtest you've already passed cannot be retaken for three years - so there's no "improving" a passing score for a stronger overall profile.
- Subtests can be split across any combination of separate appointments, each requiring its own registration.
For the complete fee schedule and how it compares across registration strategies, see the FTCE GK (082) Certification Cost breakdown, and for eligibility pathways in more depth, the FTCE GK (082) Requirements guide covers the alternative qualifying-score routes in full.
A Domain-Focused Prep Timeline
Generic study techniques only help if they're pointed at the right subtest at the right time. Given the domain weights above, a phased approach that front-loads the heaviest-weighted content tends to be more efficient than splitting time evenly across all eleven domains.
Standard English Conventions + Language Structure
- Drill grammar and mechanics questions daily since this is 50% of the ELS subtest
- Layer in Vocabulary Application (25%) using context-based practice, not word lists
Reading passage strategy
- Practice with expository and narrative passages under timed conditions to match the 55-minute limit
- Prioritize Key Ideas and Details (40%) and Integration of Information and Ideas (35%)
Mathematics, starting with Probability and Statistics
- Practice reading data displays without the on-screen calculator first, then with it, since personal calculators aren't allowed on test day
- Move to Algebraic Thinking (29%) and Geometry/Measurement (21%) once data interpretation feels solid
Essay under the 6-of-8 rubric
- Write full 50-minute practice essays and self-score against the current rubric, not the retired 8-of-12 version
For a step-by-step version of this plan with practice question strategies, the FTCE GK (082) Study Guide 2026 goes deeper on first-attempt preparation, and a fast pre-test review is available in the FTCE GK (082) Cheat Sheet. You can also work through timed practice sets on the main practice test site before scheduling your appointment.
Who Actually Sits for This Exam
The FTCE General Knowledge Test exists because Florida's State Board of Education Rule 6A-4.0021 requires it as part of the state's educator certification process. Candidates pursuing Florida teacher certification who don't already satisfy the general knowledge requirement through a qualifying GRE, SAT, ACT, or CLT score - or a master's degree or higher - take some or all of the four subtests. Because eligibility doesn't require prior coursework, candidates arrive with a wide range of backgrounds, which is part of why subtest-specific weak spots (rather than an even weakness across the board) are so common. If you're still weighing whether the certification path is the right investment of time and testing fees, Is the FTCE GK (082) Certification Worth It? covers that decision in more detail, and you can preview realistic question formats on the practice test platform before committing to a registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because the exam is scored as four independent subtests rather than one combined result, there isn't a single meaningful pass-rate figure to report. What's more useful is understanding the 200 scaled-score threshold on each multiple-choice subtest and the 6-of-8 essay rubric.
No. You can split subtests across any combination of separate appointments, each requiring its own registration, and you only need to retake subtests you actually fail.
Retakes require a 31-calendar-day wait, and there's no limit on the number of attempts. However, a subtest you've already passed cannot be retaken for three years.
Standard English Conventions carries 50% of the English Language Skills subtest, and Probability, Statistics, and Data Interpretation carries 33% of the Mathematics subtest - both are the heaviest single weights in their respective subtests and worth prioritizing.
The essay subtest previously used an 8-of-12 point rubric; it has since been replaced with a 6-of-8 point rubric. Make sure any practice essay scoring guide you use reflects the current 6-of-8 standard.