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 is only available for standard-level courses.  CDM credits are awarded only if a student has met the requirements and therefore does 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. 

The CDM process starts with a conversation with the student’s counselor.  Please make sure that this has occurred prior to applying. Your application will be rejected until this step is completed.

Application for Fall 2026 Window 

Aug 10-Sept 4, 2026

Students who wish to participate in the CDM process during Fall 2026 need to submit a completed application no later than the end of business day (5 pm) on September 4, 2026.  

Please click on the CDM One-Pager for process guidelines, FAQ, and the link to the application form. *Please see the FAQ for questions related to summer.

You will receive information about the testing schedule once the application window closes and the School Testing Coordinator has an opportunity to develop a testing plan based on the number of applications submitted.

CDM Testing Windows for 2026-2027 School Year

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

Additional CDM Information

• All course prerequisites for both middle and high school students must be met prior to attempting the CDM process for a specific course.
• No additional study or preparation materials are provided. By signing up for CDM, students assert that they have mastery of the content. The content standards for the course or subject area that students are choosing to participate in are available at http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/  
• For Phase 1 and Phase 2 results are reported as "Met" or "Not Met". Individual score reports are not provided.
• For successful students, credit is placed on the transcript with a grade of "CDM". This is GPA neutral. No honors level credit is awarded through the CDM process. Directions for Schools to add credit can be found HERE.
• For future course planning purposes, we encourage students to schedule classes as if they do not earn credit through the CDM process - results are provided to schools in time so that they can make schedule adjustments, if necessary, for successful students.
• The CDM process can be challenging for the best students - students must be successful at the mastery level for both phases to qualify for course credit.

All initial questions need to be directed to the school counselor assigned to the student. If you need additional information, please email all inquiries to the CDM District Email cdm@cms.k12.nc.us.