Credit by Demonstrated Mastery

  • Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) is a State Board of Education policy (GCS-M-001.13) that was passed in October 2013. 

    CDM offers middle and high school students the opportunity to personalize and accelerate their learning by  earning credit for a high school course through demonstrating mastery of course content, without being required  to complete classroom instruction for a certain amount of seat time. 

    Students who wish to pursue CDM will need to show mastery of course content by completing two phases. In  phase I, students must complete an exam of course content. In phase II, students must create a  product/performance that exhibits a deeper understanding and application of course content. 

    Course Eligibility & Prerequisites 

    Students may earn CDM for all high school courses in grades 9-12 and high school courses offered in middle  school in grades 6-8. The following courses are excluded from CDM: 

    ● Career and Technical Education (CTE) work-based learning courses (co-op, internship, apprenticeship) ● CTE courses that have a clinical setting as a requirement of the course, such as Early  Childhood Education I & II, and Nursing Fundamentals 

    ● CTE Advanced Studies courses or any course without state technical standards 

    ● English Language Learner (ELL) courses 

    ● Healthful Living required courses 

    ● AP/IB courses 

    For courses offered in a predetermined sequence, a student may only attempt to earn CDM for the next course in  the sequence. For example, if a student has taken Math I and would like to attempt CDM for Math III, s/he would  need to first successfully earn credit for Math II, either through CDM or traditional enrollment in the course. 

    2022-2023 CDM Timeline

     

    Summer 2022 

    Summer 2023

    CDM Application Due 

    July 1 

    June 30

    Phase I Assessment 

    July 18 - 22 

    July 24 - 28

    Results of Phase I 

    By July 29 

    By August 4

    Phase II Assessment 

    July 25 - August 12 

    July 31- August 11

    Results of Phase II 

    By August 15 

    By August 14

    Appeal Process 

    ends August 26 

    ends August 25



    At Middle Schools

    AL Stanback: School Counselors 

    Orange Middle: School Counselors 

    Gravelly Hill: School Counselors

    At High Schools: 

    Cedar Ridge: School Counselors 

    Orange High: School Counselors

    For District: Crystal K. Vaught, Director of Accountability and Testing