United States
Hong KongUsing an ACT score instead of the General Knowledge Test
ACT English at 22 satisfies the essay and English Language Skills subtests, Reading at 23 satisfies the Reading subtest, and Mathematics at 22 satisfies Mathematics. Three section scores rather than two, so an ACT report needs more checking than an SAT one. Administrations from 1 March 2016.
The ACT works, and it works slightly less neatly than the SAT. Where an SAT candidate reads two numbers, an ACT candidate reads three, and one of them sits a point higher than the others for no reason the rule explains.
That extra point is where people come unstuck.
The three numbers
| General Knowledge subtest | ACT section | Minimum score |
|---|---|---|
| Essay (825) | English | 22 |
| English Language Skills (826) | English | 22 |
| Reading (827) | Reading | 23 |
| Mathematics (828) | Mathematics | 22 |
Transcribed from Rule 6A-4.0021(12). English at 22 does double duty across the essay and English Language Skills. Reading needs its own 23. Mathematics needs its own 22. Your ACT composite does not appear anywhere in the rule and does not matter.
Why Reading is the one that catches people
Because 23 is not 22, and because a candidate who has just confirmed that English and Mathematics both clear at 22 tends to read the third row quickly. Reading at 22 covers nothing. It is a single point and it costs a USD 32.50 registration and an afternoon.
If that is your situation, sit the Reading subtest and stop thinking about it. Reading had the highest published first-attempt pass rate of the four subtests in 2025 at 78%, and FLDOE publishes its passing standard as at most 70% correct, which on 30 questions works out at no more than 21 right answers. That last figure is our arithmetic on FLDOE's published percentage, and because the percentage is a maximum, a harder version may need slightly fewer.
The rule accepts ACT administrations conducted on or after 1 March 2016. Separately, the minimum required score must have been earned during the ten years immediately preceding application and qualification for a certificate, unless law or rule stipulates otherwise. A high-school ACT that clears the first condition can still fall foul of the second by the time you apply.
Reading your score report
ACT reports section scores for English, Mathematics, Reading and Science, plus a composite. Florida reads three of those four sections and ignores Science entirely. There is no writing-test requirement in the rule either: the essay subtest is covered by the English section score, not by an ACT writing score, which surprises people who paid for the optional writing test.
Send an official report to the Bureau of Educator Certification, not to Pearson or the FTCE registration site. The Department decides whether your particular score qualifies. Rule 6A-4.0021(12) sets minimums that may be used to satisfy the requirement, and this page is not that decision.
Is retaking the ACT a sensible alternative?
Almost never, and less often than for the SAT. The ACT is a longer sitting on fixed national dates with a full science section you have no use for, and every point you need has to be earned inside a strict clock. A General Knowledge subtest costs USD 32.50, books on demand, and returns a multiple-choice result at the test center.
There is one situation where it is arguable: an ACT candidate sitting on English at 21 loses two subtests to a single point, and one retake would cover both. Even then we would sit the two FTCE subtests. USD 65, two afternoons, and no risk that the retake goes sideways.
Mixing an ACT score with FTCE subtests
Perfectly normal, and the rule is built for it. Passing scores are required in each content area, so a qualifying section score covers the subtests it covers and you register for whatever is left. Two subtests is USD 65 and three is USD 97.50, against USD 130 for the full battery.
The concession worth making here: we have no way of knowing how often the Department accepts these submissions or how long it takes to process one. FLDOE does not publish that and neither does anyone else we can source. What we know is what the rule says the scores are.
Common questions
What ACT score exempts you from the FTCE General Knowledge Test?
English at 22 covers the essay and English Language Skills subtests, Reading at 23 covers the Reading subtest, and Mathematics at 22 covers Mathematics. These are minimum scores under Rule 6A-4.0021(12), for administrations on or after 1 March 2016.
Does my ACT composite count?
No. The rule reads individual section scores and never mentions the composite. A composite well above 23 can still leave a section short, and a section that falls short covers nothing at all. Read the three relevant section scores on their own.
Do I need the ACT writing test?
No. The rule covers the General Knowledge essay subtest with the ACT English section score at 22. There is no separate ACT writing requirement in Rule 6A-4.0021(12), so an optional writing score neither helps nor hurts your case.
My ACT Reading is 22. Does that cover the Reading subtest?
No. Reading requires 23 while English and Mathematics require 22, and there is no rounding or partial credit. Sit the FTCE Reading subtest instead: it is a single USD 32.50 registration and had the highest published first-attempt pass rate of the four in 2025.
Can I use ACT scores for some subtests and sit the rest?
Yes. The rule works content area by content area, so a qualifying section score exempts only the subtests attached to it. You register and pay for the remainder, at USD 32.50 for one, USD 65 for two or USD 97.50 for three.