Policies

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Use of Social Security Numbers

You must provide your Social Security number (SSN) when you register for the FTCE/FELE.

The FTCE/FELE program uses your SSN for internal purposes only and will not disclose your SSN to other third parties.

The FTCE/FELE program uses your SSN to match your scores with educator certification records as required by Section 1012.56, Florida Statutes . Your SSN appears on the score reports sent to the institutions and school district.

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Payment Policy

You are responsible for ensuring that your account is paid in full and all payments have cleared. Any payment received after your test date may delay the reporting of your scores.

If your payment for a test date or a test service does not clear, you will have an outstanding balance. If you have an outstanding balance, Evaluation Systems will

• assess an additional processing fee to clear your account;
• prevent your registration for future test dates until your balance, including the additional processing fee, is paid in full;
• withhold reporting your scores to you, the Florida Department of Education, and other institutions until your account has been paid in full;
• limit payment options to clear your account to cashier's check or money order only, unless you pay for additional services using a credit card, in which case your credit card will be billed for both the outstanding balance and the additional requested services (you agree to pay for all such services and outstanding balances in the event your credit card company does not);
• apply check and money order payments for any additional services toward your outstanding debt first, with any excess applied to the requested service(s) (if paying for additional services with a credit card, your card will be billed for both the outstanding balance and the additional requested services);
• apply any credits or refunds for which you may be eligible first to your outstanding debt (Evaluation Systems will return any excess to you).

If a bank returns your personal check, Evaluation Systems will not allow you to make any future payments by personal check.

Once you submit your payment, you may call FTCE/FELE Customer Service to confirm the receipt of payment and status of your account.

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Refund Policy

Evaluation Systems refunds test fees for cancellations submitted at least 24 hours before a test appointment.

The time frame in which you will receive a refund depends on your payment method:

• If you paid using a credit card within the past few months, you should be able to request a refund through your account. Your credit card company will be instructed to credit your account the next business day after you cancel your test appointment. Your credit card company's billing cycle determines when credit will appear on your next statement.
• If you paid using a credit card and you are unable to request a refund through your account, your refund cannot be automatically processed through the system and may take additional time to process. Please contact FTCE/FELE Customer Service directly for detailed instructions on requesting a refund.
• If you paid using a debit card, your refund will be posted to your account within 2–3 business days after you cancel your test appointment. If you have not been reimbursed after two weeks, contact FTCE/FELE Customer Service.
• If you no longer have access to the account with which you paid, your refund may take additional time to process. Please contact FTCE/FELE Customer Service directly for detailed instructions on requesting a refund.

The merchant name that will appear on your credit card or bank statement is "NCSP*FLDOE."

If you register for a test that is scheduled to begin within 24 hours, that appointment cannot be canceled or rescheduled, and no refund or transfer of fees will be provided except as explained in the Absentee/No Show Policy.

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Reschedule/Cancellation Policy

All requests to reschedule or cancel your test appointment must be submitted online, by logging into your account, at least 24 hours before your scheduled test time.

No changes or cancellations can be made by phone.

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Compliance with Testing Rules

To register for a test, you must acknowledge your understanding and agreement to all FTCE/FELE testing rules.

Read the FTCE/FELE testing rules:

• Important Testing Information and Agreement to the Testing Rules
and
• Important Information About Cheating Behaviors and Test Score Invalidations

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Identification Policy

You must bring two valid and unexpired forms of identification, as detailed below, printed in English.

The forms of identification presented must be original (not a photocopy or digital ID) and cannot be damaged.

You will not be permitted to test without proper identification. If you are refused admission, you will not receive a refund or transfer of fees.

The first identification must be government-issued and must have a clear photograph and your signature.

Examples include:

• Driver's license
• State-issued identification card
• United States military ID (with visible signature)
• Passport
• United States Permanent Resident card (with visible signature)

The second identification can be another form of identification listed above or one that has either a photo or a signature.

Examples include:

• Social Security card
• Student ID
• Work ID

Please note the following:

• If you are bringing a valid and unexpired U.S. government issued identification that does not contain a visible signature or has an embedded signature, your second identification must have both a clear photograph and your signature.

IMPORTANT: Your name must exactly match the identification presented at the time of testing or you will not be able to take your exam, with the following clarifications:

• Your middle initial in your account on this website must match the middle name or initial on your ID.
• If you have a hyphenated last name or two last names, one of the following must be true of your name as it appears in your account on this website and on your ID:
  
  
  • either both instances must use the complete hyphenated name or both last names

  or

  • if one instance only uses one last name, it must be the second last name

If the name on your identification differs from the name provided during registration, you must bring official, legal documentation of the name change. A photocopy will not be accepted.

Examples of this documentation include:

• Marriage certificate
• Divorce decree
• Certificate of naturalization
• Court order for a name change

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Test Site Rules

The following are prohibited at the test site:

• Smoking and the use of all tobacco products
• Visitors, including relatives, children, and friends
• Weapons of any kind

Personal items, including any of the following, are prohibited in the testing room and must be placed into the secure storage provided:

• Cell phones and electronic communication devices, including any device with an on/off switch
• Audio devices (e.g., MP3 or CD players)
• Eyeglasses with communication and recording devices
• Dictionaries or other books of any kind
• Calculators
• Wallets, purses, jewelry, and watches of any kind
• Food and drink, including water

All devices with an on/off switch must be turned off before being stored, rather than being simply set to silent or vibrate.

Violation of test site rules, including the possession or use of prohibited items during a test administration, may result in the voiding of your scores.

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Retake Policy

You must wait 31 calendar days after taking a test/subtest/section or after attending a score verification session before retaking a test/subtest/section you did not pass; or three years after taking a test/subtest/section for which you received a passing score. Otherwise, the score for your retake will be invalidated and no score report will be issued.

To retake a test, subtest, or section, you must reregister and pay the retake fee.

The following guidelines apply to examinees retaking a test, subtest, or section:

• For the FELE (Subtests 1 and 2), General Knowledge Test, Elementary Education K–6, German K–12, and Prekindergarten/Primary PK–3, retake only the subtest(s) that you did not pass.
• For FELE Subtest 3, English 6–12, and Middle Grades English 5–9, retake only the section that you did not pass.
• For any other test that you do not pass, you must retake the entire test.

No extra testing time is given to examinees who are retaking a test, subtest, or section.

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Late Arrival Policy

You should arrive at the test site 30 minutes before your appointment time. If you arrive even a few minutes late, the test site may not be able to accommodate you. If you are refused admission, you will not receive a refund or transfer of fees, except as noted in the Absentee/No Show Policy.

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Absentee/No Show Policy

If you fail to appear for or are absent from an examination, no fees or charges will be refunded; however, a test registration may be transferred to a later administration due to an emergency circumstance that prevents you from taking the test, such as:

• Illness or injury to you or a member of your immediate family.
• Death of a member of your immediate family.

To request a transfer, submit an Absentee Policy Request including the following to FTCE/FELE Customer Service:

• A written request describing the emergency circumstance that prevented you from taking the test, and;
• In the case of illness or injury, a signed letter attesting to the illness or injury from a medical doctor, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner on official letterhead stationery. Letters written on prescription forms are not acceptable; however, "return to work" authorization letters are acceptable if they include an "out of work" date range inclusive of the testing date, or;
• In the case of death, a dated newspaper obituary or a dated funeral program stating your relationship to the deceased.

FTCE/FELE Customer Service must receive the written request and the documentation of illness, injury, or death within 30 calendar days after the missed test date.

If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, you should not report to your testing appointment. For additional information, see the Flu/Pandemic Policy.

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Break Policy

Break policies may vary between exams; however, you must leave the testing room for all breaks. You will need to show identification and you may have your palm vein image captured when leaving or re-entering the testing room. After finishing your break, the Test Administrator (TA) will escort you back to your assigned workstation where you will be able to continue the exam.

1. An unscheduled break is a voluntary break that you initiate during an exam. When taking an unscheduled break at any time, the exam time will not stop. The TA will set your workstation to break mode, and you will take your ID with you when you leave the room. You may not leave the test center during unscheduled breaks. You are not permitted to access personal items, other than food, drink, or medications during an unscheduled break. Following your break, the TA will check your ID and may capture your palm vein image before escorting you back to your seat so you can resume your exam.
2. A scheduled break is an automatic break that you do not initiate; it is built into the exam you are taking. If your exam includes a scheduled break, instructions will appear on the computer screen at the appropriate time and will indicate how long of a break is allowed; whether or not the time stops depends on the policy for the specific exam you are taking. While taking a scheduled break, you are permitted to access personal items that you stored during the exam; including but not limited to cell phones, exam notes, and study guides. You may leave the test center during scheduled breaks. Following your break, the TA will check your ID and may capture your palm vein image before escorting you back to your seat so you can resume your exam.

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Flu/Pandemic Policy

For the health and safety of other examinees and FTCE/FELE staff, you are urged to comply with the advice of your health-care professional and remain in home quarantine until medically cleared to return to work, school, or other normal activities.

Every effort will be made to reschedule canceled test appointments for examinees with a suspected or confirmed illness without additional fees or penalties.

In the event of illness, examinees are strongly encouraged to reschedule or cancel their test appointment, as needed. Test appointments can be rescheduled or canceled online by you for any reason up to 24 hours before the test date with no additional fees or penalties.

For test appointments less than 24 hours in advance, the test appointment cannot be modified and will be marked Absent. Examinees must submit an Absentee Policy Request, as detailed in the Absentee/No Show policy, including the following:

• A letter stating your name, test date, test site, and the test(s) for which you registered, and
• A signed letter attesting to the illness and recommended quarantine from a medical doctor, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner on official letterhead stationery. Letters written on prescription forms are not acceptable; however, "return to work" authorization letters are acceptable as long as they include an "out of work" date range inclusive of the testing date.

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Test Cancellation Policy

If a test site closes due to severe weather or a natural disaster (e.g., hurricane, flood, fire), FTCE/FELE Customer Service will notify you by telephone and/or email. You will later be contacted to reschedule your test appointment.

If you miss an appointment that has not been officially canceled due to a test site closing, you will not receive a refund or transfer of fees, except as explained in the Absentee/No Show Policy.

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Who Receives Your Test Scores

You will receive your test scores through your FTCE/FELE account.

Only passing scores are reported electronically to the Bureau of Educator Certification (BEC) at the Florida Department of Education.

During registration, you may select an institution or a District Professional Learning Certification Program to receive your test scores. Please note that if you do not select an institution or a district when you register, you will be responsible for providing them with a copy of your score report in the future.

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Canceling Test Scores

Canceling Your Test Scores

If you decide to cancel your scores after taking the FTCE or FELE, you must complete and submit a Score Cancellation Form before leaving the test site.

Canceled scores will not be entered into any FTCE/FELE records and will not be reported to you, the DOE, or any institution for any purpose.

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Invalidating Test Scores

Score Invalidations Due to Violation of the 31-Day Rule

You must wait 31 calendar days after taking a test/subtest/section or after attending a score verification session before retaking a test/subtest/section you did not pass; otherwise, the score for your retake will be invalidated and no score report will be issued.

Score Invalidations Due to Violation of the Three-Year Rule

You must wait three years before retaking a test/subsection/section for which you received a passing score; otherwise, the score for your retake will be invalidated and no score report will be issued.

Score Invalidations Due to Cheating

Examinees found engaging in cheating behavior will have their scores invalidated.

For tests with essays, cheating behavior includes writing a pre-prepared, memorized essay. The essay must be a completely original essay composed during the test.

Examinees found with a cell phone or an electronic prohibited aid during testing will

• not be allowed to continue testing;
• have their scores automatically invalidated;
• be reported to the DOE.

For more information, review Important Information About Cheating Behaviors and Test Score Invalidations .

If the DOE invalidates your scores, no fees will be refunded and you may not register for or attend a score verification session for that test.