United States
Hong KongWhich alternative score covers which subtest
One SAT or CLT verbal figure covers three subtests. ACT English covers two and ACT Reading a third. GRE Verbal Reasoning covers two, with Analytical Writing covering the essay. Every alternative needs a separate quantitative score for Mathematics. Whatever is left costs USD 32.50 per subtest.
This is the working page. The anchor page on the alternative-score route explains that the route exists; this one is for sitting down with your score report and working out precisely what you still have to register for.
Start with the coverage counts, because they are the fastest way to see the shape.
How many subtests each score covers
| Score | Subtests it covers | How many |
|---|---|---|
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing 560 | Essay, English Language Skills, Reading | 3 |
| SAT Mathematics 540 | Mathematics | 1 |
| ACT English 22 | Essay, English Language Skills | 2 |
| ACT Reading 23 | Reading | 1 |
| ACT Mathematics 22 | Mathematics | 1 |
| GRE Analytical Writing, combined 4 of 6 | Essay | 1 |
| GRE Verbal Reasoning 151 | English Language Skills, Reading | 2 |
| GRE Quantitative Reasoning 147 | Mathematics | 1 |
| CLT Verbal Reasoning & Grammar/Writing, combined 49 | Essay, English Language Skills, Reading | 3 |
| CLT Quantitative Reasoning 20 | Mathematics | 1 |
Transcribed from Rule 6A-4.0021(12). The SAT and the CLT are the efficient ones because a single verbal figure carries three subtests. The GRE needs three separate measures to do the same job. The ACT needs three section scores and one of them sits a point higher than the others.
Reading it the other way round
Sometimes the useful question is not what your score covers but what is left. Here is the same rule from the subtest's point of view.
| Subtest | Covered by | Sit it if |
|---|---|---|
| Essay (825) | SAT EBRW 560, ACT English 22, GRE AW 4, CLT combined 49 | None of those clears, and note we do not mark essays |
| English Language Skills (826) | SAT EBRW 560, ACT English 22, GRE Verbal 151, CLT combined 49 | None clears; passing standard is at most 63% correct |
| Reading (827) | SAT EBRW 560, ACT Reading 23, GRE Verbal 151, CLT combined 49 | None clears; passing standard is at most 70% correct |
| Mathematics (828) | SAT Math 540, ACT Math 22, GRE Quant 147, CLT Quant 20 | None clears; passing standard is at most 63% correct |
The percentages are FLDOE's published maximums for a scaled score of 200. They are ceilings rather than fixed thresholds, so a harder version of a subtest may need slightly fewer correct answers. There is no combined percentage across the four and anyone quoting one has invented it.
What the remainder costs
- One subtest left
- USD 32.50
- Two subtests left
- USD 65
- Three subtests left
- USD 97.50
- All four
- USD 130
- A retake
- USD 32.50, after 30 days
Registering for exactly what you need is worth doing properly. The fee schedule in Rule 6A-4.0021(4)(b) prices the full battery at a small discount to four singles, but if a score covers two subtests there is no reason to buy four.
Can you combine scores from different tests?
The rule works content area by content area and states that passing scores are required in each of the general knowledge content areas assessed on the General Knowledge Test. It does not say the coverage has to come from a single test. Reading it plainly, a candidate with an ACT that clears English and a GRE that clears Quantitative Reasoning has covered three subtests between them.
We would not bet a test appointment on our reading of that sentence. Send both reports, ask the Bureau of Educator Certification in writing, and hold your booking until they answer. This is exactly the kind of question where the Department's practice matters more than the rule's grammar, and we hold the rule and not the practice.
The order to work through this
- Find every admissions test score report you hold and check the administration dates first
- Read section scores rather than totals or composites
- Mark each of the four subtests as covered or not covered using the second table above
- Send the qualifying reports to the Bureau of Educator Certification and wait for a decision
- Register for the uncovered subtests only, and prepare only for those
One opinion to close on. Most candidates who end up with a partial exemption are left holding Mathematics, because quantitative thresholds are the ones people miss. If that is you, the good news is that Mathematics gets 100 minutes for 35 questions, which is by a distance the most generous clock on the paper.
Common questions
How many FTCE subtests does an SAT score cover?
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing at 560 covers three: the essay, English Language Skills and Reading. Mathematics at 540 covers the fourth. Two section scores from one SAT sitting can therefore satisfy the entire general knowledge requirement under Rule 6A-4.0021(12).
Can I combine an SAT score with an ACT score?
The rule works content area by content area and does not say coverage must come from one test, so it reads as though you can. We would ask the Bureau of Educator Certification in writing before relying on it, because their practice governs and we only hold the rule text.
Which subtest is most often left over?
Mathematics, in our reading of the thresholds. SAT Mathematics 540, ACT Mathematics 22, GRE Quantitative Reasoning 147 and CLT Quantitative Reasoning 20 are the scores candidates most often miss, while a single verbal figure tends to carry the other three subtests at once.
Do I pay less if some subtests are exempt?
Yes. Rule 6A-4.0021(4)(b) prices registrations separately: USD 32.50 for one subtest, USD 65 for two, USD 97.50 for three and USD 130 for the full battery. Register only for the subtests your scores do not cover.
Is there a single pass percentage for the whole test?
No. Each subtest passes at a scaled score of 200, and FLDOE publishes what that is worth per subtest as a maximum: at most 63% for English Language Skills, at most 70% for Reading and at most 63% for Mathematics. Blending them would be meaningless.