~Dates for 25-26 will be updated when they are available~
Spring 2025 applications for CDM are due
NO LATER THAN JANUARY 31.
Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) is a process by which a student may earn credit for a high school course by demonstrating a deep understanding of the content without course enrollment or seat time. CDM is intended for students who have such mastery of a content that they could demonstrate it at any time, without preparation or studying.
CDM is not intended to replace the general pathways school districts provide for advanced students. 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. 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.
If you are considering CDM, you should read the most recent CMS CDM One Pager in its entirety, including the procedural guidelines and the FAQs.
Phase 1: A standard examination, which shall be the EOC/EOG where applicable, or a final exam developed locally. Students who meet mastery (defined by NCDPI and CMS; mastery cutoffs vary by subject) are eligible to move to Phase 2.
Phase 2: An artifact which requires the student to apply knowledge and skills relevant to the content standards. This is evaluated by CMS content specialists.
Students who meet mastery on both phases will receive a credit for the course. The grade will appear on your transcript as "CDM", which denotes a "Pass" for the course. Honors or AP credit will not be awarded. These credits do not impact GPA.
There are three times per year for students to attempt the CDM process: Fall, Spring, and Summer. Application deadlines and testing windows are set by NCDPI and CMS; this is not an school-specific process, and these dates and deadlines are not flexible.
Students who wish to participate in the CDM process during Spring 2025 need to submit a completed application no later than January 31, 2025. Phase I Assessments will be given within the window of February 19- March 3, 2025.
Window Application Window Phase 1 Testing Window
Fall 2024 August 1-31, 2024 September 17-30, 2024
Spring 2024 January 1-31, 2025 February 19- March 3, 2025
Summer 2024 May 1-31, 2025 July 18-31, 2025
Students must be enrolled in or have already completed the prerequisite course to CDM another class. If you are enrolled in a class, you cannot attempt CDM in that class. Changes to your schedule for the following semester will not be made until you receive credit for a class.