Calculus 1
Self-paced online Calculus 1 course (Math 165). NCCRS recommends 4 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →FloridaTeachers
FTCE subject exam vs 30 semester hours
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Choosing between the FTCE math 6-12 exam vs coursework comes down to the certificate you need. Either one meets the subject requirement for a Florida Temporary Certificate under s. 1012.56. For the Professional Certificate, maths teachers still need the exam or another subsection (5) route. Strong in maths? Take the exam. Rusty? Start with coursework, after FLDOE confirms in writing which courses count.
The two routes side by side
Florida lets a maths applicant meet the subject requirement in one of two ways. The first is Rule 6A-4.0262: a maths major, or 30 semester hours of maths that include 6 hours of calculus and credit in geometry, probability or statistics, and abstract or linear algebra. The second is passing the FTCE Mathematics 6-12 subject area exam.
Section 1012.56 of the Florida Statutes says either route meets the subject requirement for the Temporary Certificate. The Professional Certificate asks for mastery of subject knowledge under subsection (5), and for a subject with a Florida exam that is a passing score, unless you have another listed route such as a master's in maths, a valid out-of-state professional certificate or National Board certification.
| Question | FTCE subject exam | 30 semester hours |
|---|---|---|
| Meets the Temporary Certificate subject rule? | Yes | Yes |
| Meets the Professional Certificate subject rule? | Yes | No, the exam or another (5) route is still needed |
| Time | One test date | Months of courses plus the transcript step |
| Needs a college transcript? | No | Yes |
When the exam makes sense
If you studied maths recently, use maths at work, or tutor it, the exam is usually faster. It can clear every subject line on your Statement of Eligibility in one sitting, and you will need it for the Professional Certificate anyway. Book it early so a retake still fits inside your 5-year Statement of Eligibility window and the 5-year Temporary Certificate window.
Practise with official preparation guides and timed sets. The exam covers algebra, functions, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, probability and calculus, so weak spots show up fast in a practice test.
When coursework makes sense
Coursework suits people who have not touched calculus in years, who learn better with structure, or whose district wants the hours on the transcript before hiring. It also helps you pass the exam later, because the content overlaps.
Plan the 30 hours around the named areas first: 6 hours of calculus, then statistics, geometry and linear or abstract algebra. Only then add other college maths to reach 30. Our Calculus 1, Calculus 2, Calculus 3, Principles of Statistics and Discrete Mathematics courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended. We do not teach geometry or linear or abstract algebra, so those need a college course.
Cost and time
UPI Study PRO is $99 a month for every course. At two courses a month, five maths courses take about three months, around $297, plus the step where a college puts them on its transcript. Sophia Learning is $99 a month, and StraighterLine is $99 a month plus $79 per course, both checked on 15 Nov 2026. Florida state colleges charge per credit hour, and their credit is on their own transcript with no extra step.
The FTCE exam has its own fee set by the testing contractor; check the current amount on the official FTCE site before you register. Even on the coursework route, budget for the exam, because the Professional Certificate needs it.
Getting the credit to FLDOE
FLDOE reads college transcripts, not course certificates. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. After a college posts the credit, ask it to send an official transcript to the Bureau of Educator Certification.
Before you enrol in anything, send the Bureau the list of courses, their descriptions and the college that would post them, and ask in writing whether they would clear the gaps on your letter. Keep that reply with your certification records.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the FLDOE Bureau of Educator Certification in writing whether maths credits posted on a partner college's transcript would clear the gaps on your Statement of Eligibility before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Is the FTCE subject exam required if I have 30 semester hours of maths?
For the Temporary Certificate, the coursework is enough under s. 1012.56. For the Professional Certificate, maths teachers still need mastery under subsection (5), which usually means passing the subject exam, unless they hold a qualifying master's, an out-of-state professional certificate or National Board certification.
Can I mix the routes, taking some courses and then the exam?
Yes, and many people do. Courses rebuild the maths; the exam then closes the subject requirement and also counts for the Professional Certificate. Once you pass the exam, you may not need the rest of the hours, so ask FLDOE before buying more courses.
Do Calculus 1 and Calculus 2 cover the 6 calculus hours?
They aim to, if a college posts both and FLDOE counts them as calculus. Each college sets the hours it posts, so check the hours on the transcript and confirm with the Bureau in writing that they meet the calculus line on your letter.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Calculus 2
Self-paced online Calculus 2 course (Math 265). NCCRS recommends 4 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Principles of Statistics
Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Ask FLDOE in writing first, then start with Calculus 1 and Principles of Statistics.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 1012.56 (2025): Educator certification requirements (official)Statement of status of eligibility valid 5 years; bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and a 2.5 GPA in the major; temporary certificate needs the subject area content requirements in state board rule OR mastery under subsection (5); temporary certificate is valid 5 school fiscal years, one time, nonrenewable; professional certificate needs mastery of subject area knowledge under (5), which for a subject with a Florida exam means a passing score. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Florida Administrative Code Rule 6A-4.0262: Specialization Requirements for Certification in Mathematics (Grades 6-12) (official)Rule 6A-4.0262 is in force; rulemaking authority ss. 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56 F.S.; history New 7-1-90, amended 7-17-00. The plan text (a maths major, or 30 semester hours in maths with 6 in calculus plus geometry, probability or statistics, and abstract or linear algebra) is from the planner's check of the FLDOE rule page. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- FLDOE Bureau of Educator Certification: Rule 6A-4.0262 (official)FLDOE's own copy of the Mathematics 6-12 specialization rule (returned HTTP 403 to our fetch on 15 Nov 2026; the planner verified it earlier). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.