- How the 117-120 Test Structure Works
- Subtest 117: Professional Knowledge and Skills
- Subtest 118: Literacy
- Subtest 119: Mathematics
- Subtest 120: Science and Social Studies
- Domain Weight Comparison Across All Four Subtests
- Registration, Fees, and Endorsement Paths
- Sequencing Your Prep Around the 11 Domains
- Who Hires Candidates With the ZO Endorsement
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The 117-120 set contains 11 domains spread across four separately scored subtests totaling 210 questions.
- Literacy (118) is the lowest-passing subtest, making Literacy Processes-Instruction and Practices (40%) a top study priority.
- Each subtest requires a scaled score of 220 out of 100-300 to pass, scored independently.
- The ZO endorsement needs 118, 119, and 120 plus either 117 or 121 - taking all four is common but not mandatory.
How the 117-120 Test Structure Works
The Lower Elementary (PK-3) Education field is tested through four separately registered, separately scored computer-based subtests administered by Evaluation Systems/Pearson on behalf of the Michigan Department of Education at Pearson VUE test centers. Because MTTC is an umbrella program covering dozens of fields, it's easy to find generic advice online that doesn't match this specific field. This guide sticks strictly to 117 Professional Knowledge and Skills, 118 Literacy, 119 Mathematics, and 120 Science and Social Studies, and breaks down all 11 domains that Evaluation Systems uses to build the item pools for these four tests.
Each subtest carries its own testing time and question count: 117 has 50 questions in 1 hour 15 minutes, 118 has 50 questions in 1 hour 15 minutes, 119 has 50 questions in 1 hour 30 minutes, and 120 has 60 questions in 1 hour 30 minutes. Sit for all four in separate appointments and you'll answer 210 total questions across 5 hours 30 minutes of testing time, not counting the 15-minute tutorial and nondisclosure agreement that precedes each individual session. Some items on any subtest may be unscored field-test questions, so there's no reliable way to identify which questions "count" during the actual exam.
Subtest 117: Professional Knowledge and Skills
Subtest 117 is built from two domains that together define what Michigan expects of an effective PK-3 educator beyond content delivery.
Domain 1: Learner-Centered Supports (60%)
This is the larger of the two 117 domains and covers how candidates design classroom environments, differentiate instruction, and respond to the developmental and cultural needs of young learners.
- Recognizing developmentally appropriate practice for PK-3 age ranges
- Adapting instruction for students with disabilities, English learners, and gifted learners
- Building classroom routines that support social-emotional growth
Domain 2: Professional Knowledge and Strategic Partnerships (40%)
This domain addresses the educator's role outside direct instruction - working with families, colleagues, and the broader school system.
- Legal and ethical responsibilities of Michigan educators
- Collaborating with families and community partners
- Using assessment data to inform instructional decisions
Subtest 117 posted the highest official pass rates among the four tests, but that doesn't mean it can be skipped in prep - the questions can be scenario-heavy, requiring you to apply professional judgment rather than recall definitions.
Subtest 118: Literacy
Literacy is the subtest with the lowest official pass rate in the 117-120 set, which makes it the single strongest target for focused practice-question work. It's built from three domains.
Domain 3: Literacy in Context (30%)
Covers how literacy connects to broader curriculum, culture, and family/community context in the PK-3 classroom.
- Emergent literacy and its connection to oral language development
- Integrating literacy instruction across content areas
Domain 4: Literacy Skills-Instruction and Practices (30%)
Focuses on foundational skill instruction - phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and vocabulary.
- Systematic phonics sequencing for early readers
- Strategies for building reading fluency and automaticity
Domain 5: Literacy Processes-Instruction and Practices (40%)
The heaviest-weighted literacy domain, covering comprehension, writing processes, and the interaction between reading and writing instruction.
- Comprehension strategy instruction across text types
- Writing process stages and how to scaffold them for young writers
Key Takeaway
Because Literacy Processes-Instruction and Practices carries the largest single weight (40%) inside the lowest-passing subtest, it deserves more repeated practice sessions than any other single domain in the 117-120 set.
Subtest 119: Mathematics
Mathematics is tested through three domains that move from pedagogy into specific PK-3 content knowledge.
Domain 6: Mathematics-Specific Teaching Practices (20%)
Covers instructional strategies specific to teaching math to young children, including use of manipulatives and representations.
Domain 7: Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Grades PK-3-Attribution and Counting and Whole Number Representation (40%)
Tests deep content knowledge of early counting principles and how whole numbers are represented and understood by young learners.
- Counting principles (one-to-one correspondence, cardinality)
- Place value and multiple representations of whole numbers
Domain 8: Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Grades PK-3-Early Fraction Representation and Whole Number Operation (40%)
Focuses on how children build early fraction concepts and operate on whole numbers.
- Concrete and visual models for early fractions
- Progression from concrete to abstract operations with whole numbers
Because calculators are prohibited on 119, candidates need to be comfortable working through arithmetic and representation questions by hand under time pressure - 50 questions in 1 hour 30 minutes leaves roughly a minute and a half per item.
Subtest 120: Science and Social Studies
Subtest 120 is the longest of the four tests at 60 questions in 1 hour 30 minutes, and it splits into three domains across two subject areas.
Domain 9: Science-Engaging Children in 3-Dimensional Science Learning as Identified in the National Research Council's A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (25%)
Tests familiarity with the three-dimensional framework structure - scientific practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas - as applied to PK-3 science instruction.
Domain 10: Science-Children's Sense-making and Science Teaching Pedagogy (25%)
Focuses on how young children construct scientific understanding and the pedagogical moves that support that sense-making process.
Domain 11: Social Studies-Instruction and Practices (50%)
The single largest domain weight anywhere in the 117-120 set - half of the entire subtest. Covers civics, geography, economics, and history instruction appropriate to PK-3.
- Foundational civics and community concepts for young learners
- Integrating geography, economics, and history through age-appropriate instruction
Domain Weight Comparison Across All Four Subtests
Seeing all 11 domains side by side makes it easier to prioritize study time proportionally to how each domain is actually weighted on test day.
| Subtest | Domain | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 117 | Learner-Centered Supports | 60% |
| 117 | Professional Knowledge and Strategic Partnerships | 40% |
| 118 | Literacy in Context | 30% |
| 118 | Literacy Skills-Instruction and Practices | 30% |
| 118 | Literacy Processes-Instruction and Practices | 40% |
| 119 | Mathematics-Specific Teaching Practices | 20% |
| 119 | Attribution/Counting and Whole Number Representation | 40% |
| 119 | Early Fraction Representation and Whole Number Operation | 40% |
| 120 | 3-Dimensional Science Learning | 25% |
| 120 | Children's Sense-making and Science Pedagogy | 25% |
| 120 | Social Studies-Instruction and Practices | 50% |
For a deeper look at how these weights translate to overall exam difficulty, see How Hard Is the MTTC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026, and for the actual score you need on each subtest, review MTTC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Registration, Fees, and Endorsement Paths
Each of the four subtests is registered and paid for individually. Fees are $59 each for 117, 118, and 119, and $69 for 120 - a total of $246 if you register for all four. Scores use a 100-300 scale, and each subtest requires a scaled score of 220 to pass; a numeric total score is only displayed when a candidate does not pass, and results are released within six weeks of testing.
It's worth knowing that the Lower Elementary (ZO) endorsement doesn't strictly require all four numbered tests. The endorsement requires 118, 119, and 120 plus either 117 or 121. Taking all four - 117 through 120 - is the most common path candidates choose, largely because it's the most straightforward to plan for, but it isn't the only valid combination. If you're weighing which subtests to register for first, MTTC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify walks through eligibility details, and MTTC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown covers the full fee picture.
This field is also positioned as the natural successor to Elementary Education (103), whose final administration is December 20, 2026 and which cannot be used to earn the ZO or ZP grade-band endorsements going forward - a key reason 117-120 has become one of the program's highest-volume current fields.
Sequencing Your Prep Around the 11 Domains
Rather than studying all four subtests in parallel, it's more efficient to sequence your prep so each subtest gets focused attention before you register for its specific test date. The order below prioritizes Literacy first, since it carries the lowest official pass rate of the four subtests.
Literacy (118) - Domains 3, 4, 5
- Drill Literacy Processes-Instruction and Practices (40%) with practice questions daily
- Review phonics progression and comprehension strategy frameworks
Mathematics (119) - Domains 6, 7, 8
- Practice whole-number and early-fraction problems without a calculator
- Time yourself at roughly 1.5 minutes per question to simulate real pacing
Science and Social Studies (120) - Domains 9, 10, 11
- Give Social Studies-Instruction and Practices (50%) the majority of study time
- Review the three-dimensional science framework's three components
Professional Knowledge and Skills (117) - Domains 1, 2
- Work through scenario-based questions on Learner-Centered Supports
- Review legal/ethical responsibilities and family-partnership practices
For a full walkthrough of study methods beyond this domain-based sequencing, see MTTC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. Running timed practice sets through our practice test platform before each subtest is one of the most reliable ways to confirm you're ready before paying the registration fee.
Who Hires Candidates With the ZO Endorsement
Passing 118, 119, 120, and either 117 or 121 earns the Lower Elementary (ZO) endorsement, which Michigan school districts require for PK-3 classroom placements. This makes the 117-120 subtest set directly tied to hiring eligibility rather than a general credential - districts hiring for kindergarten, first-, second-, or third-grade classrooms, along with many pre-K programs operating under district oversight, look for this specific endorsement on a candidate's certificate. For a broader look at where this credential fits into hiring and pay conversations, see MTTC Jobs and MTTC Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis. If you're still deciding whether pursuing this endorsement fits your career plans, Is the MTTC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 lays out the tradeoffs, and MTTC Training covers preparation resources beyond self-study.
Before you commit to a testing schedule, it also helps to confirm testing windows and blackout dates through MTTC Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling, and to keep a condensed reference of the numbers in this article handy via MTTC Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Subtest 117 has 2 domains, Subtest 118 has 3 domains, Subtest 119 has 3 domains, and Subtest 120 has 3 domains, for 11 domains total across the full 117-120 set.
Literacy Processes-Instruction and Practices (40% of Subtest 118) and Social Studies-Instruction and Practices (50% of Subtest 120) carry the two largest single-domain weights in the entire set, and Literacy overall has the lowest official pass rate, making these strong priorities.
No. The Lower Elementary (ZO) endorsement requires 118, 119, and 120 plus either 117 or 121. Taking all four numbered tests is a common path but not the only valid combination.
No. Calculators are prohibited on Subtest 119 Mathematics, so all arithmetic and representation questions must be worked through by hand.
Combined, 117-120 total 210 questions and 5 hours 30 minutes of testing time, plus a separate 15-minute tutorial and nondisclosure segment at each individual appointment.