Credit by Demonstrated Mastery

Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (grades 6-12)

Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) is an option that allows students to demonstrate mastery and receive credit for a course by taking an assessment demonstrating proficiency by achieving the designated scale score or percent as established by NCDPI, and then completing an artifact reflecting content mastery.  CDM is only available for standard-level courses.  CDM credits are awarded as a pass/fail grade and therefore do not impact grade point averages. 

Access to the Credit by Demonstrated Mastery process is open to all NC public school students for high school courses in grades 9-12 and those high school courses offered in middle school that a district chooses to offer.

While the CDM process is open to all students, it is not for whole groups of students. It is not intended to replace the general accelerated pathways local school districts often provide advanced students. Instead, it is designed to provide an opportunity for an individual student who has an exceptional mastery of course content prior to taking a course and who wishes to earn credit and move on to another course that is a better use of their time for learning

“Mastery” is defined as a student’s command of course material at a level that demonstrates a deep understanding of the content standards and application of knowledge.

If a student chooses to participate in CDM for a course and successfully meets the assessment score and demonstrates mastery on completed artifacts, credit will be provided for the upcoming semester. 

Application for Fall 2023 Window 

August 1-31, 2023

Students who wish to participate in the CDM process during Fall 2023 need to submit a completed application no later than August 31, 2023.  

Please click on the CDM One-Pager for process guidelines, FAQ, and the link to the application form.

If you have questions, please contact your school counselor for more information. 

CDM Testing Windows for 2023-2024 School Year

If you need additional information, please contact the CMS District CDM Contact, Amanda Aycoth, amanda.cherry@cms.k12.nc.us. For questions about CTE CDM, contact Meghan Pope, meghanl.pope@cms.k12.nc.us.