Credit Demonstrated by 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.

    At Middle Schools:CDM Contacts

    AL Stanback: Wyn Payton
    CW Stanford: Ron Roche
    Gravelly Hill: Dr. Gwen Rhoulac

    At High Schools:

    Cedar Ridge: Kevin Bowman
    Orange High: Kandis Sauls

    For District: Jason Johnson, Director of Secondary Instruction