Credit by Demonstrated Mastery

What is CDM?

Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) is a process by which LEAs shall, based upon a body-of-evidence, award a student credit in a particular course without requiring the student to complete classroom instruction for a certain amount of seat time. Students will have the opportunity to show deep understanding of content and processes through a multi-phase process which includes an examination and a product. Student work on each element will be assessed to determine if it reaches the level necessary to receive course credit. Students who demonstrate mastery will receive course credit, but not grade points. Per NCDPI, credit shall be indicated on a student’s transcript with a “CDM” indicator. The school shall not grant a numeric or letter grade for the course and shall not include the grade in the student’s grade point average (GPA) calculation.  CDM shall be available for all North Carolina students in grades 9-12 for high school courses and in grades 6-8 for high school courses offered in middle school.

Students will need to submit a Student-Family Application form adhering to the following due dates:  

Application Deadline  

  • August 31, 2023 

  •  

    January 31, 2024

  •  

    July 1, 2024

Testing Windows

  • Fall 2023:  September 18-29, 2023

  • Spring 2024:  February 16-29, 2024

  • Summer 2024:  July 18-31, 2024

If you have any additional questions regarding CDM, please feel free to contact your school guidance counselor or Dr. Robert Batts, Director of Secondary Education, at Email Dr. Robert Batts.  You can also visit the NCDPI page.  

Required elements: 

  • A standard examination, which shall be the EOC/EOG where applicable, or a final exam developed locally.

  • An artifact which requires the student to apply knowledge and skills relevant to the content standards.

  • And, for Edgecombe County, a presentation of the artifact to the Review Committee showing deep understanding of the curriculum and application to the artifact.

There will be:

  • A testing window per year each Spring, each Summer and each Fall.

Understand:

  • There is Not A Re-Test!

  • If a student does Pass the CDM exam and Artifact stages, the school shall not grant a numeric or letter grade for the course and shall not include the grade in the student's GPA. 

  • Students may not earn CDM for AP courses, only standard level courses.

  • Students may earn credit using CDM for as many courses as they wish and districts may not impose local limitations.