Accelerated Learning

Competency-Based Credit

State law permits Credit by Demonstrated Mastery. Public school districts may submit a plan to the Arkansas Department of Education to award high school credits to students who demonstrate subject-matter competency instead of, or in combination with, completing hours of classroom instruction.

Students may receive college credit for successful completion of College Level Exam Program assessments and following a panel review of demonstrated knowledge and skills relevant to content standards. Postsecondary institutions determine the amount of credit awarded. 

Career and Technical Education

Arkansas Career and Technical Education has partnered with Advance CTE to expand and improve its CTE program, which aligns with the National Career Cluster model. CTE completers are identified as students who have completed three credit units of career and technical education courses in high school. State law requires public schools to offer nine units of career and technical education in a minimum of three different occupational clusters.

Career and Technical Education

Arkansas Career and Technical Education has partnered with Advance CTE to expand and improve its CTE program, which aligns with the National Career Cluster model. CTE completers are identified as students who have completed three credit units of CTE courses in high school. Arkansas public schools are required to offer nine units of career and technical education and must provide students access to a minimum of one career focus program in three different occupational clusters.

Work Based Learning

Work-based learning allows eligible 10th-12th grade students — 16 years and older — to earn high school credit for a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training that is related to the student’s career goal. Students must currently be enrolled in, or have completed, at least two CTE courses in their chosen career pathway area to be eligible for both WBL options that count toward completer status: Career Practicums and Youth Apprenticeships.  

Students must develop an ARCareerEd Training Plan and may work for pay under the supervision of a training sponsor (employer) and a teacher/coordinator. The Arkansas’ DOE Division of Career and Technical Education recommends that students earn one unit for every 18 hours of instruction time and every 120 hours of work experience. Students may earn a maximum of two credits per year, with 36 hours of classroom instruction and 240 work hours.

Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit

Arkansas defines dual enrollment as enrollment of a high school student in postsecondary education for college-level credit only, whereas concurrent enrollment is when a high school student takes a college-level course taught on a high school campus for both high school and college-level credit.

College-level concurrent enrollment students must score a 19 or better on the ACT Reading and other corresponding sub-test(s) or equivalent test, meet the postsecondary institution’s admissions requirements, and have a signed parental release to be able to enroll in classes. Concurrent courses must be freshman- or sophomore-level courses approved in the institution’s catalog, and general courses must be listed in the Arkansas Course Transfer System.

Some concurrent course offerings are blended with Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses and require registration for concurrent credit at the beginning of the term and completion of an AP or IB exam to earn college credit. Students may earn up to one unit of high school credit for each general education concurrent course, each blended AP/ concurrent or blended IB/concurrent course, and each CTE concurrent course that is a minimum of three semester credit hours.

Students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch are not required to pay any of the cost for such courses up to six credit hours. Students and families bear the cost of concurrent enrollment unless the costs are paid by the district or a private foundation.

Act 456 (2019) creates the Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Scholarship. The program allows eligible students who are classified as a higher school junior or senior to receive tuition discounts if they enroll in endorsed concurrent enrollment courses or certificate programs. The scholarship awards $125 per course up to two concurrent credit courses per semester. To remain eligible, students must earn a grade of C or better in the course(s) in which they enroll.

Advanced Placement / International Baccalaureate

In the fall of 2018, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education Coordinating Board began requiring institutions of higher education to award college credit to students who earned a score of 3 or higher on any Advanced Placement exam. Institutions may award additional credit to students who earn a score of 4 or 5 on an exam but may not award credit for scores below a 3. Credits may count directly towards the student’s degree or elective requirements.

The Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program provides state grant funding to support Advanced Placement initiatives already operating in the state. The program encourages the advancement of AP teachers and programs by providing mentorship, training, materials and resources while also increasing the number of students enrolling and performing well in AP programs.

Early High School Graduation

Arkansas Code § 6-18-224 allows students to graduate early if they have earned the number of credits required by the district for graduation.

Competency-Based Credit

The Credit Acceleration Program allows students to take the College Level Examination Program, Advanced Placement or end-of-course exams in Algebra I, Geometry, U.S. History or Biology I and earn high school credit for the course, even if students have not enrolled in or completed the course. The program can enable students to pursue other accelerated options, including dual credit, early admission and early graduation.

The state legislature established the seven-year Competency-Based Education Pilot Program that began in the 2016-17 school year. The purpose of the pilot program is to allow students in four districts and one laboratory school to earn high school credit after satisfactorily demonstrating mastery of concepts and skills.

Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit

Florida defines dual enrollment as “the enrollment of an eligible secondary student or home education student in a postsecondary course creditable toward high school completion and a career certificate or associate or baccalaureate degree.” Students in grades 6-12 may enroll in academic or career certificate courses and earn dual credit. The college dual enrollment option requires a GPA of 3.0 or higher and a minimum passing score on a state-adopted common college placement exam.

Home schooled students are also eligible for dual enrollment if they can show that their home education program complies with Florida Statutes § 1002.41. To maintain eligibility, students must keep a 3.0 GPA as well as continue to meet the minimum postsecondary GPA set by the institution in which they are dually enrolled. The career certificate option requires a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Students enrolled in dual enrollment programs are exempt from the payment of registration, tuition and laboratory fees.

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate

High schools must offer at least four dual credit or AP courses — one each in English, math, science and social studies. Florida districts are required to award credit to students who can pass AP examinations without enrolling in or completing AP courses.

The Florida League of International Baccalaureate Schools, Inc. works to expand the IB program throughout the state. The Middle Years, Diploma, and Career IB Programmes are available at accredited schools and offer high school students the opportunity to earn college-level credit while pursuing a high school diploma.

Early High School Graduation

To graduate early with a standard high school diploma, students must earn 24 credits and complete the graduation requirements outlined in Florida Statutes § 1003.4282. Students are not required to complete any additional district-mandated graduation requirements. 

Students are eligible to graduate early through the Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning option pursuant to Florida Statutes § 1002.3105(5), F.S. The 18-credit ACCEL option differs from the standard diploma, with students required to complete three elective credits instead of eight. Students enrolled in the ACCEL option are exempted from both the physical education and online course requirements.

Early College Admission

Florida Statutes § 1007.271 defines early college admission as a form of dual enrollment that allows high school students to enroll in college or career courses full-time while continuing to earn both high school and postsecondary credit. Career early admission leads to an industry certification as defined in Florida Statutes § 1008.44. These students must enroll in a minimum of 12 college credit hours per semester but cannot be required to enroll in more than 15 credits per semester. Entrance requirements for early college enrollees vary by institution.

Competency-Based Credit

704 KAR 3:305 authorizes districts to develop a policy to award performance-based credits, provided that the experiences for which credits are awarded align with the Kentucky Academic Standards. Examples include senior year or capstone projects, dual credit courses, and work-based learning experiences (internships, apprenticeships, cooperative learning experiences and other supervised learning experiences in the school and community).

Career and Technical Education

Kentucky has adopted the National Career Clusters Framework. Students enrolled in career and technical education courses may take the Kentucky Occupational Skills Standards Assessment after completing two credits as well as the ACT WorkKeys upon enrolling in a third CTE credit in an approved career pathway. State law allows for the substitution of career-technical courses for specific graduation course requirements, and some career and technical education courses may qualify for dual credit if they are approved under the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s dual credit policy.

Students can accelerate their learning in several ways through CTE. These include earning industry-recognized certifications, gaining certification through the Career and Technical Education End-of-Program Assessment for Articulated Credit and earning CTE dual credit. Students who earn a C or higher in two KDE-approved CTE dual credit courses in the same program area will be identified as career ready.

Students can also participate in the Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky youth apprenticeship program, a partnership between the Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education and the Kentucky Office of Apprenticeship. TRACK provides high school students with career pathway opportunities into Registered Apprenticeship programs and enables students to earn nationally recognized credentials at little or no cost.

Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit

Dual credit allows students to take college-level courses and earn high school and college credit concurrently. Public colleges and universities partner with districts to provide dual credit opportunities, which may be provided at the student’s high school or on a college campus.

Kentucky requires that all high school students have access to a minimum of three general education and three career and technical education courses throughout their secondary career. To be eligible for enrollment, students must meet the postsecondary institution’s requirements for admission into the program and placement requirements for its college-level courses.

Costs associated with dual credit vary based on district-institution agreements. Students and their parents must receive a written statement explaining tuition and fees. KRS 164.786 established the Dual Credit Scholarship Program to help provide “dual credit coursework opportunities at no cost to eligible Kentucky high school students.” High schools are required to apply for dual credit scholarship funds, and students may receive available funding that covers “a maximum of two successfully completed dual credit courses.”

Dual enrollment is when students are enrolled both in high school and at a college or university and earn college credit at a postsecondary institution. Dually enrolled students do not earn high school credit for their postsecondary coursework.

Although most Kentucky high school students pursue dual credit/concurrent enrollment options through open enrollment in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, students may also pursue college credit online through the Kentucky Virtual University or in the classroom through state and private universities, if they fulfill institutional admission requirements.

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate

Kentucky offers almost 30 college-level AP courses as well as three International Baccalaureate programs to high school students. AP-enrolled high school students may be awarded college credit for a course based on their numerical scores on end-of-course AP exams. The Kentucky Department of Education pays AP and IB exam fees for students enrolled in the Free or Reduced Lunch Program.

Kentucky considers Cambridge Advanced International Education courses to be advanced coursework as well. Students who complete a course and pass the corresponding exam can earn credit towards his or her Academic Readiness.

Early College High Schools

Also referred to as Middle Colleges, these are partnerships between high schools and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System that allow students to earn college credits while completing their high school diploma. Early Colleges may be set up as high schools located on college campuses or may be college-level courses offered on a high school campus. Eligibility requirements, available college credits and associated costs vary by institution.

Early High School Graduation

Beginning with the 2023-24 school year, students in grades nine-11 may pursue an early graduation pathway through which they may qualify to receive a diploma and be eligible for acceptance into any public university or nonprofit, independent college or university in Kentucky. To qualify, the student must do the following:

• Document their intent to graduate early within 30 days of the academic year in which the student intends to graduate
• Graduate in three years or less
• Meet the state’s college-readiness exam benchmarks
• Take part in the state administration of the college entrance exam prior to junior year, if needed
• Earn 10 foundational credits that include the academic content standards of Kentucky
• Meet the school’s financial literacy requirement
• Obtain a passing grade on the civics test

An Early Graduation Certificate provides some financial support for students to attend college immediately after early graduation

Competency-Based Credit

Students may earn high school credit by passing examinations or by completing an independent study or internship that aligns with the local school system’s curricular objectives. Students may also earn up to nine elective credits through an approved, supervised work study, experience or job entry training program outside of the high school.

Career and Technical Education

Maryland offers its students career and technical education courses in ten career cluster areas. Students can earn an industry-recognized credential when they complete a career pathway — typically a four-course program — and pass the corresponding skill assessment. Students can also earn a State Skill Certificate from the Maryland Department of Labor if they complete a Youth Apprenticeship Program for their work-based learning experience.

Earning postsecondary credit often requires the student to meet standards or complete an assessment as determined by the postsecondary institution or the licensing agency. Several community and four-year colleges throughout the state have CTE articulation agreements that specify possible credit awards for students who complete CTE programs.

Maryland also offers two work-based learning programs: The Career Research and Development and Apprenticeship Maryland programs. For each program, students develop a written plan with the school/ program coordinator and the employer. The CRD program consists of two in-school courses and a minimum 270-hour work-based learning experience, paid or unpaid. AMP provides apprenticeship experiences including work-based learning, classroom instruction, and one-on-one mentoring from an industry professional. Students begin in their junior or senior year and must complete at least one year of classroom instruction in addition to a minimum of 450 hours of paid work-based training.

Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit

Dual enrollment programs — sometimes referred to as early college access — allow high school students to enroll in college courses while in high school, typically after the junior year. Students are provided a minimum 25% tuition discount depending on the county, and those eligible for free and reduced meals may take classes with no tuition charges. Public institutions of higher education may not charge tuition to dually enrolled students but may charge applicable and reasonable fees. Local boards of education pay tuition costs based on the number of dual enrollment courses a student has taken. Local boards may recoup a portion of those costs from students, again at rates based on how many dual enrollment courses a student has taken.

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate

The state of Maryland does not provide requirements for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses. Rather, requirements are set by the respective program authorizers. Credits awarded are at the discretion of each postsecondary institution.

Early College High Schools

Early College programs in Maryland exist as stand-alone high schools within colleges. All early college high schools allow students to earn either an associate degree or up to 60 transferable college credits while completing a high school diploma.

The legislature created the Pathways in Technology Early College High School program in 2016. The state provided planning grants to six P-TECH schools. In six years or less, students graduate with a high school diploma and associate degree. Schools collaborate with community colleges and the local business community to enrich student instruction.

Early High School Graduation

Maryland’s Early College Admission Program waives the four-year high school enrollment requirement when a student is admitted to an approved post-secondary program or college, with prior approval from the local superintendent of schools. Students receive their high school diploma after successfully completing one year of college coursework.

Early College Admission

Maryland’s public four-year institutions have policies that allow students to seek early admission, so long as they earn a high school diploma or an equivalent credential. Each institution that offers early admission determine their own procedures and requirements.

State regulation allows students to receive a high school diploma through early postsecondary admission, subject to meeting assessment and student service criteria.

Competency-Based Credit

Credit by Demonstrated Mastery allows a student to receive high school credit without course enrollment by way of a two-phase assessment process. Phase one consists of a standard examination: either the associated end-of-course or — if there is not a pre-established EOC — a final exam developed locally. Phase two is “an artifact which requires the student to apply knowledge and skills relevant to the content standard.” CDM is open to all students, but it is neither designed for whole groups of students nor intended to replace general accelerated pathway options.

All students are eligible throughout middle grades and high school to request an opportunity to earn credit in both academic and career and technical education courses through demonstrated mastery. For CTE courses, an industry credential may be accepted as the required “artifact” component. There is no limit to how many credits a student may earn through demonstrated mastery, but students may only make one attempt per course. Students who are unsuccessful after one attempt must enroll and complete that course in the traditional way.

Career and Technical Education

North Carolina has adopted the National Career Clusters Framework. The state’s College and Career Promise program allows qualified high school students who maintain a ‘B’ average to begin their two- and four-year college work tuition-free through the career and technical education pathway. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction administers the ACT WorkKeys to all 12th graders who have achieved a CTE concentration (four technical credits in a cluster, including one completer course).

Cooperative education, offered to students 16 and older, combines technical classroom instruction with directly related paid employment. The paid experience must complement instruction and be completed in the same year in which the course is offered.

Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit

The Career and College Promise program allows high school students to enroll in courses at North Carolina community colleges, often earning dual credit — both at the college and high school levels. Eligible public, private and home-schooled students may participate in the CCP program, and are offered three pathway options to choose from.

Students interested in the program must contact their high school counselors, be approved by either the counselor or principal, and indicate the pathway and program of study they wish to pursue. Students must also complete a college application and be accepted by the college. To remain eligible, students must continue making progress toward high school graduation and maintain a 2.0 GPA for all college coursework. The North Carolina General Assembly pays all tuition charges, while student fees and textbook costs may be paid in a variety of ways, including student self-pay. The table below summarizes the three pathways.

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction established the NC Advanced Placement Partnership with the College Board to broaden access and successful participation in advanced courses with a focus on low-performing school districts. This legislation further provides funding for all test fees for AP and IB course exams to all public and charter school students. NCDPI also continues to increase access to AP courses through the NC Virtual Public School. Students who score a 3 or higher on an AP exam may be eligible to earn college credit for that course.

Early College High Schools

University of North Carolina System institutions may enter contracts with local school districts to establish Cooperative Innovative High Schools, targeting students at risk of dropping out of high school. These early college high schools, often housed on college campuses, allow students to earn credit toward high school diplomas while working toward an associate degree, a technical certificate or transferrable college credits. Early college and university officials agree on readiness measures that, when mastered, will allow early college students to take university-level courses. There are currently 134 Cooperative Innovative High Schools in the state, including 123 funded partnerships.

Early High School Graduation

Credit through Demonstrated Mastery may provide the opportunity for a student to graduate early from high school. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recommends that decisions regarding early graduation be made “through deep discussion between families, students and appropriate educational staff.”

Competency-Based Credit

South Carolina allows Competency-Based Education — sometimes called Mastery-Based or Proficiency-Based Learning — in which students pursue personalized, flexible pathways and mark their progress through performance or application of a designated competency, often measured through assessments and personalized learning experiences. Districts are accountable for ensuring that students meet academic standards in proficiency-based courses, and may offer one-quarter, one-half or full-credit courses.

Career and Technical Education

South Carolina has adopted the National Career Clusters Framework and offers over 300 courses across the 16 clusters. Career and Technical Education courses may be included in dual enrollment agreements. Applicable dual enrollment CATE courses may be taken at both high school and college campuses and may award credit at both levels. Three-semester college courses count as one high school course and must be included in postsecondary programs at accredited institutions, be part of a state-recognized CATE program, and be approved by the Office of Career and Technical Education.

Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit

Juniors and seniors in high school who have nearly mastered the complete high school curriculum are eligible to participate in dual enrollment and to enroll in a postsecondary institution and take college-level courses. Principals must recommend dual enrollment students before they become eligible for dual credit opportunities.

To enroll in courses at four-year institutions and two-year regional campuses of the University of South Carolina System, students must have GPAs of 3.0 or higher. To enroll in courses at technical colleges, students must meet the requirements set by the specific institution. District school boards may establish policies allowing students to take college courses. These policies may allow for cooperative agreements with one or more postsecondary institutions. The tuition and fees are the responsibility of the student unless otherwise stipulated by local school districts.

Dual Credit may be awarded at the discretion of the district boards of trustees. Policies may allow courses that are applicable to baccalaureate or associate degrees to be offered by a postsecondary institution through cooperative agreements. Three-semester-hour college courses transfer as one unit of credit in such cases, and tuition costs and other fees are the responsibility of the student unless otherwise specified in the local district policy.

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate

The South Carolina Department of Education funds and coordinates training courses for aspiring AP teachers. South Carolina also offers three International Baccalaureate Programs to high school students: The IB Middle Years Program (to the age of 16) and the IB Diploma Programme and IB Career-related Programme (for students age 16-19).

South Carolina has existing policies regarding credit acceptance for postsecondary institutions. In most cases, students scoring a 3 or better on AP exams and a 4 or better on IB exams should receive college-level credit in the comparable postsecondary courses.

Early College High Schools

South Carolina has several early college high schools located throughout the state which allow students to earn credits toward a postsecondary degree or credential while completing a high school diploma. Students, often in their junior and senior years, can earn up to two years of college credit, usually in courses taken on the participating college campus.

Early High School Graduation

Competency-Based Credit

The Texas Education Code § 28.023 allows high school students to receive course credit through the successful completion of Credit-by-Examination assessments which are approved by each local board of trustees. Each local board is required to approve at least four CBEs to include Advanced Placement and College Level Exam Program exams which may be locally developed or purchased.

Students must be awarded course credit if they score in the 80th percentile on a board of trustees approved course or if they earn a scaled score of 50 or higher on a CLEP exam. Districts may set required scores higher than the minimum (50) set by the Texas Education Code, but that score may be no higher than the 90th percentile and it must be established at the beginning of the year and last for at least the entire school year. Students may take an exam only once during each testing window and may not be charged a fee for doing so.

Career and Technical Education

Texas’ new career and technical education standards have been adapted from the National Career Clusters to a new Energy career cluster framework. The Division of College, Career and Military Preparation, through partnerships with members of the workforce, secondary education, and higher education, offers CTE programs of study – sequences of courses that can help prepare students for their chosen careers. Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, students participating in programs of study will be identified as either a concentrator — completing two or more courses for at least two credits in a single program of study — or as a completer – completing three or more courses for four or more credits.

Students may take CTE courses as dual credit courses and earn both secondary and postsecondary credit. Students who do not meet college-ready eligibility requirements can work toward Level 1 certificates, whereas students who can demonstrate college-readiness may pursue Level 2 certificates.

Beginning in 2017, Educate Texas partnered with the Texas Education Agency to offer Industry Cluster Innovative Academies and Pathways in Technology Early College High School grant monies to designated learning institutions throughout the state. The recipients of these grant funds design high school curricula focused on specific workforce needs in high-demand areas and create the opportunity for students to earn postsecondary degrees and certificates in these areas.

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate

Students may receive college level credit for successful completion of an AP or International Baccalaureate exam. Districts should give a student high school course credit for a subject in which the student scores a 3 or higher on an AP exam. Individual postsecondary institutions determine the minimum scores for awarding college credit to students based on AP and IB exam scores.

The Texas Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate Incentive Program provides testing fee subsidies to students with demonstrated financial need. The Texas Education Agency provides $28 for each AP and IB exam taken. Districts may choose to further subsidize testing fees for students. College Board AP/IB courses may be substituted for required courses or qualify as electives.

Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit

Texas Education Code § 28.009 requires school districts to implement dual credit programs that allow students to earn both high school and postsecondary credit simultaneously. Students can earn up to the equivalent of 12 semester credit hours of college credit through enrollment in college-level courses such as AP, IB, advanced technical credit courses and articulated credit. High schools and postsecondary institutions enter into articulation agreements which govern, among other things, credit transfer agreements and college placement test requirements.

To be eligible, high school students must meet certain minimum requirements. Typically, students may enroll in college courses after the sophomore year of high school. Any student enrolling in a dual credit course must meet a minimum score on one of various standardized tests, including the ACT and SAT. Other requirements vary depending on whether the student is enrolling in academic or workforce education courses, and on the postsecondary institution in which the student is enrolling.

Students may also participate in Texas’ dual enrollment program — On Ramps — and enroll both in high school and at a postsecondary institution. Students take separate high school and college courses and earn credit accordingly.

Concurrent enrollment allows students to enroll in a postsecondary institution while completing high school. Students do not receive high school credit for college courses taken in this instance. Students who have scored high enough on certain standardized tests, including the ACT and SAT, are not required to take the state-mandated assessment to qualify for concurrent or dual enrollment. Students may take college-level courses related to the parts of the qualifying assessment(s) that they have passed. The state requires students and their families to pay for dual enrollment courses, unless the college waives or reduces tuition, or the high school pays all or part of the cost.

Senate Bill 1276 (2019) requires dual credit agreements between postsecondary institutions and school districts to establish common advising strategies and terminology related to dual credit and college readiness, align certain endorsements with course offerings, and identify tools to assist school counselors, students, and families in selecting endorsements.

Early College High Schools

Students attending early college high schools may complete their high school diploma through the Recommended High School Program or the Distinguished Achievement Program and earn an associate degree or up to 60 college credits. School districts are required to pay any related tuition, fees and textbook costs beyond those waived by the institution of higher education. By November 2020, Texas had 182 designated Early College High Schools with 12 additional college campuses in the planning stages.

Early High School Graduation

House Bill 3 (81st Legislature) created the Early Readiness High School Graduation Option program which officially began in 2012. Students who demonstrate early readiness for college level work may graduate up to one year early and earn a distinguished level of achievement on their high school diploma. Districts partner with research universities to create an alternative route to a high school diploma. Eligible students attend a high school in a district with a partnership agreement and meet proficiency requirements on AP, IB, College Level Examination Program, SAT and ACT tests. After the 2022-23 school year, the school must provide students and parents with notification of the eligibility requirements when students initially enroll in high school.