EPSOs

The Tennessee Department of Education's goal for every student is to graduate high school prepared to be successful in the workforce or in aligned postsecondary programs. To accomplish this task, students with an elective focus in career and technical education (CTE) programs of study should culminate in the achievement of a state-recognized industry certification, a robust work-based learning experience, and/or attainment of postsecondary credit hours through Early Postsecondary Opportunities (EPSOs).

Early postsecondary opportunities allow students to:

earn postsecondary credits while in high school.
become familiar with postsecondary rigor and expectations.
develop confidence and skills for success in postsecondary learning.
make informed postsecondary and career decisions.
decrease the time and cost of completing a certificate or degree.

Work-Based Learning

Work-Based Learning (WBL) is a proactive approach to bridging the gap between high school and high-demand, high-skill careers in Tennessee. Students build on classroom-based instruction to develop employability skills that prepare them for success in postsecondary education and future careers. Through experiences like internships, apprenticeships, and paid work experience, juniors and seniors (16 years or older) may earn high school credit for capstone WBL experiences that take place off campus during one or more of their designated class periods. WBL coordinators are educators who are trained and certified by the Tennessee Department of Education to coordinate these WBL experiences for students.

Industry Certifications

Students have the opportunity to earn nationally recognized Industry Certifications (IC) when enrolled in certain Career & Technical Education classes. These types of skills-based certifications are directly connected to industry and workforce needs with more flexibility, less time commitment, and often lower cost than a traditional degree pathway. Over half of jobs in Tennessee require some education past high school, but not a completed degree. Certifications play a pivotal role training individuals to fill the middle skills gap that prevents a significant number of Tennesseans from accessing in-demand and high-wage jobs.

Current Industry Certifications available to LCHS programs are listed as follows:

OSHA-10 (Construction & General Industry)
Microsoft Office Specialist (Core & Expert) in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
Certified Nursing Assistant
Emergency Medical Responder
ForestryWorks
ServSafe
Workplaceless Remote Worker
NC3 Precision Measurement Instruments

Dual Enrollment

Dual Enrollment (DE) is a postsecondary course, taught either at the postsecondary institution or at the high school, by postsecondary faculty or credentialed adjunct faculty. Dual enrollment courses can be taught at the postsecondary campus, the high school, or online. Students are enrolled at the postsecondary institution and earn postsecondary credit upon completion of the course. High school credit is awarded based on local policy.

On-Campus (CTE)

Digital Design | TCAT
Automotive | TCAT
Cosmetology | TCAT
Electrical/Plumbing | TCAT
Welding | TCAT
Medical Terminology | CSCC
Engineering | CSCC

On-Campus (Academic)

U.S. History | UNA

Off-Campus (CTE)

Industrial Maintenance | TCAT
CNC Machining | TCAT

Off-Campus (Academic)

Students may enroll in any CSCC class upon admission. Popular classes that are typically transferrable include but are not limited to Early US History, Modern US History, Composition 1 & 2, Psychology, Statistics, Precalculus, College Algebra, and Walking for Fitness (PE).

State Dual Credit

State Dual Credit (SDC) classes are college-level courses taught at the high-school level by trained high-school teachers. Course learning objectives are developed by Tennessee high school and college faculty in order to ensure alignment with post-secondary standards. All students enrolled in a statewide dual credit course take the online challenge exam, which is used to assess mastery of the postsecondary-level learning objectives. Students who meet or exceed the exam ‘cut score’ receive college credit that can be applied to any Tennessee public postsecondary institution. Exam scores are reported on the high school transcript to ensure postsecondary credit is accurately awarded but are not used in any state accountability measures.

Current SDC classes available to LCHS students are listed as follows:

U.S. History
Precalculus
Statistics

Advanced Placement (AP)

The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program provides an opportunity for high school students to experience postsecondary-level coursework across multiple subjects. Each course is aligned to a subject-specific AP exam, which provides students the potential to earn credit for postsecondary coursework in that subject.

Current AP classes available to LCHS students are listed below.

On-Campus

English 3
English 4
Calculus

Online

Students may take online AP classes through AP All Access. Click on the link to view course offerings: tnapaccessforall.org/course-listing

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Developed by the College Board, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams are used to assess mastery of postsecondary-level material acquired in a variety of ways—through general academic instructions, significant independent study or extracurricular work. Students can earn credit for postsecondary coursework in a specific subject.

Current CLEP examinations available to LCHS students are listed as follows:

English Composition
World Civilizations
United States History

Sources: www.tn.gov/education/educators/career-and-technical-education.html

tnsuccess.org/industry-credentials-career-and-college-readiness/

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