FTCE ESE 061 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows

2025 Pass Rate Overview

The Florida Department of Education publishes annual pass-rate data for every Subject Area Examination, and the numbers for FTCE ESE 061 in 2025 tell a fairly specific story. Across 5,305 total administrations, the overall pass rate landed at 64 percent. First-time examinees fared meaningfully better, passing at a 74 percent rate, while candidates retaking the exam passed at only 41 percent. When you look at unique examinees rather than raw administrations, 79 percent eventually passed on their best attempt - meaning most people who keep testing do get there, but the retake population as a whole underperforms first-timers by a wide margin.

These figures matter because ESE K-12 is not a niche credential. It is the highest-volume single-field Subject Area Examination in the entire FTCE program, with 3,676 first attempts recorded in 2025 alone. A large candidate pool combined with a moderate pass rate means the exam is neither a rubber stamp nor an outlier in difficulty - it's a real test with a real preparation requirement, and the data backs that up.

First Attempt vs. Retake Gap

The 33-point gap between first-attempt (74 percent) and retake (41 percent) pass rates in 2025 is the single most instructive number in the entire dataset. It suggests that candidates who fail once are not automatically closing the gap on their second try - and in many cases, the retake pool includes people who attempt the exam again without meaningfully changing how they studied.

There are a few plausible reasons this gap exists:

• Retesting too soon without a new strategy. The exam can be retaken after 31 calendar days, which is enough time to review a score report but not always enough time to rebuild weak competency areas from the ground up.
• Ignoring the competency breakdown. Non-passing score reports show performance by competency against statewide averages. Candidates who don't use that breakdown to target specific domains tend to repeat the same mistakes.
• Underestimating the breadth of content. With six domains spanning legal foundations, assessment, instruction, behavior supports, literacy, and transition planning, a narrow review pass often misses whichever domain caused the first failure.

Cumulative 2022-2025 Trend

Looking at a single year in isolation can be misleading, so it helps to zoom out. The cumulative data from 2022 through 2025 shows a 70 percent first-attempt pass rate and an 82 percent best-attempt pass rate across 14,438 first-attempt examinees. Compared to the 2025-only figures (74 percent first attempt, 79 percent best attempt), the multi-year numbers are broadly consistent - first-attempt performance hovers in the low-to-mid 70s, and the majority of candidates who persist eventually clear the bar.

This stability over four years suggests the exam's difficulty and content emphasis have not shifted dramatically, which is useful for anyone planning a study timeline: last year's data is still a reasonable proxy for what this year's test will demand. For a broader look at how the exam compares in difficulty to other certification tests teachers commonly pursue, see How Hard Is the FTCE ESE 061 Exam?

Why Domain Weighting Drives the Numbers

Pass rates don't exist in a vacuum - they're a direct result of how the exam is built. FTCE ESE 061 is organized into six domains, and three of them account for nearly two-thirds of the scored questions:

Because Domains 1, 3, and 5 together make up 65 percent of the exam, a candidate who is strong in Domain 2 (assessment, 13%), Domain 4 (behavior supports, 12%), or Domain 6 (transition, 10%) but weak in the "big three" will still struggle to reach the scaled score of 200. This is likely part of why the retake pass rate is so much lower than the first-attempt rate - candidates often revisit the domains they already know well rather than the ones carrying the most weight. A full breakdown of every domain, including the four remaining ones, is available in the FTCE ESE 061 Exam Domains 2026 guide.

Who Is Actually Taking This Exam

With 3,676 first attempts in 2025 and no eligibility screening required to register, FTCE ESE 061 draws a wide range of candidates: traditional teacher-prep graduates adding ESE K-12 coverage, working teachers pursuing an additional certification area, and career-changers moving into special education roles. There are no prerequisites - anyone can register and there is no cap on the number of attempts allowed.

One detail that affects a meaningful slice of this candidate pool: under Senate Bill 7000 (effective July 1, 2024), teachers holding a temporary or professional certificate in Elementary Education K-6 who add ESE K-12 coverage may request a waiver of first-time initial certification and examination fees, and the reciprocal waiver applies to ESE K-12 holders adding Elementary Education K-6. That waiver only covers the initial sitting - it cannot be applied to a retake. Military, veteran, and spouse waivers under the Don Hahnfeldt Act, along with retired first responder waivers, follow the same initial-attempt-only rule.

Outside the fee waiver population, the standard fee is $150 for a Subject Area Examination, and that fee is identical whether it's a first attempt or a retake. For anyone budgeting the full path to certification, the FTCE ESE 061 Certification Cost 2026 breakdown lays out every associated expense. If you're still confirming that ESE K-12 is the certification you actually need, start with FTCE ESE 061 Requirements 2026.

How to Raise Your Odds Before Test Day

Given that the "big three" domains drive 65 percent of the exam, the most efficient use of limited study time is a schedule that weights review time to match content weight - not equal time per domain.

Since the exam is delivered as roughly 80 scored multiple-choice questions in a 2 hour 30 minute session at Pearson VUE testing centers (some forms include unscored field-test items that don't count toward your score), timed practice under realistic conditions matters as much as content review. Running full-length sets on our FTCE ESE 061 practice test platform before scheduling your real exam date is one of the most direct ways to convert content knowledge into an actual passing score. For a condensed reference you can review the night before, the FTCE ESE 061 Cheat Sheet 2026 summarizes must-know facts across all six domains.

What Happens If You Don't Pass

If you don't clear the scaled score of 200, you'll receive results at the test center for this multiple-choice field, with your comprehensive score report following about two weeks later. That report breaks your performance down by competency against statewide averages - which is the single most useful diagnostic tool available to you before a retake.

The rules governing what comes next are fixed regardless of how you scored:

• A failed attempt can be retaken after 31 calendar days.
• A passed test cannot be retaken for three years; attempting to do so anyway invalidates the new score.
• There is no cap on the total number of attempts allowed.
• Passing scores remain valid for certification applications submitted within 10 years of the test date.
• The $150 fee applies equally to first attempts and retakes - fee waivers under SB 7000, the Don Hahnfeldt Act, or retired first responder provisions apply only to the initial sitting.

Given the 41 percent retake pass rate reported for 2025, treat a retake as a full second preparation cycle rather than a quick review session. Planning your testing date around your actual readiness, not just the earliest available slot, matters here - the FTCE ESE 061 Exam Dates 2026 guide covers scheduling windows and deadlines at the 420 Pearson VUE sites available in 2025.

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