United States
Hong KongGeneral Knowledge versus the subject area examinations
They're separate requirements, not alternatives. The General Knowledge Test (082) checks the basic skills any Florida teacher needs: an essay, English Language Skills, Reading and Mathematics. A subject area examination checks the field you want to teach. Most certification routes require both, plus professional education.
People search for this comparison because they've been told they need "the FTCE" and found that the FTCE is a family of examinations rather than one paper. It is, and the confusion is reasonable.
What each one is for
| General Knowledge Test (082) | Subject area examinations | |
|---|---|---|
| Tests | Basic skills every teacher needs | The content of the field you'll teach |
| Structure | Four subtests, registered and passed separately | One examination per certification field |
| How many you sit | One test, four subtests | One for each field you want on your certificate |
| Syllabus | Section 82 of the Twenty-Eighth Edition | A different section of the same document, per field |
| Do we sell preparation for it? | Yes | No |
That last row is there because it's the honest answer and because you should know what this site is and isn't. Everything we've built covers the General Knowledge Test. We have no material for any subject area examination and no view on which provider does it well.
The four subtests of the General Knowledge Test
An essay of 50 minutes, English Language Skills at 30 questions in 40 minutes, Reading at 30 questions in 55 minutes, and Mathematics at 35 questions in 100 minutes. Each is registered separately at USD 32.50, or USD 130 for all four, and each is passed separately at a scaled score of 200.
None of it is about teaching. It's the state satisfying itself that you can write a paragraph, read a passage and do arithmetic. Somebody with a doctorate in their field still sits it.
What a subject area examination adds
Your field. Whichever subject you're seeking on the certificate has its own examination, with its own competencies in its own section of Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida. The document that governs the General Knowledge Test is the same document, which is why the two get confused.
We're not going to print a fee, a question count or a time limit for any of them, because those vary by examination and none of them are in the source set we hold. Check the field you need on the Department's own pages.
There's a third requirement people forget
The professional education test, which covers pedagogy rather than content or basic skills. The Florida Professional Certificate has examination requirements across all three areas, and passing one does nothing for the others.
Rule 6A-4.0021(12) lets qualifying GRE, SAT, ACT or CLT scores satisfy the general knowledge requirement subtest by subtest. It does nothing at all for a subject area examination or the professional education test. People read the exemption as covering the whole FTCE and it doesn't.
Which to sit first
General Knowledge, in our view, and for an unglamorous reason: it's the one that turns out to have an exemption. Checking whether your old SAT score covers three of its four subtests takes an evening and can remove a whole test from your list. Nothing similar is available for the subject area side.
The other argument for going first is that a passing subtest score doesn't expire. You keep it. So there's no clock pushing you to leave General Knowledge until later, and there's a real advantage to knowing early whether your Mathematics needs six weeks of work.
Where our advice is thin: your district, your preparation program or your employment situation may dictate a different order entirely, and they know your route and we don't.
Common questions
Is the FTCE General Knowledge Test the same as a subject area exam?
No. The General Knowledge Test (082) covers basic skills through four subtests: an essay, English Language Skills, Reading and Mathematics. A subject area examination covers the field you'll teach. Most routes to a Florida Professional Certificate require both.
Do I have to take both?
Usually. The Florida Professional Certificate carries examination requirements for general knowledge, for your subject area and for professional education. Passing one has no effect on the others, and the Bureau of Educator Certification decides what your particular route needs.
Can an SAT score exempt me from the subject area exam too?
No. Rule 6A-4.0021(12) accepts qualifying GRE, SAT, ACT and CLT scores for the general knowledge requirement only, subtest by subtest. Subject area and professional education requirements are untouched by it.
Which should I take first?
General Knowledge is the sensible default, because it's the one with an exemption route worth checking and because a passing subtest score doesn't expire. Your district or preparation program may want a different order, and they know your route better than we do.
Does Sitonce cover the subject area examinations?
No. Everything we've built covers the General Knowledge Test, and we have no material for any subject area examination or for the professional education test. We'd rather say that plainly than imply broader coverage.