Early Postsecondary Opportunities
Early Postsecondary Opportunities (EPSOs) refer to programs and experiences that allow high school students to earn college credit, workforce credentials, or other postsecondary credentials before graduating. These opportunities are designed to help students gain a head start on their postsecondary education or career pathways, providing them with valuable skills and experiences that can ease their transition into higher education, the workforce, or the military.
EPSOs in Tennessee include Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge International Examination (CIE), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Dual Enrollment (DE), International Baccalaureate (IB), Local Dual Credit (LDC), Statewide Dual Credit (SDC), and Promoted Student Industry Credentials (ICs).
EPSOs ensure that students are prepared to succeed in education and training after high school. These opportunities allow students to:
- develop confidence and skills for success on postsecondary pathways;
- make informed postsecondary and career decisions;
- become familiar with postsecondary rigor and expectations; and
- earn postsecondary credits while in high school which can decrease the time and cost of completing a certificate or degree after graduation.
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The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) is a nationally recognized program that provides an opportunity for students to experience postsecondary-level coursework through 40 offered courses in all subject areas. Each course is aligned to a subject-specific exam providing students the opportunity to earn postsecondary credit in that academic subject. College Board offers courses in Research, Arts, English, History and Social Sciences, Math and Computer Science, Sciences, and World Languages and Culture. Exam scores range from one to five, with a three or higher being considered a qualifying score and a two assessing a student as college ready.
We are one of twelve states nationally to offer a fully funded AP program, AP Access for All (APAA), through a partnership with the Niswonger Foundation. This program provides students the opportunity to earn college credit, at no cost, through online courses taught by AP-trained and Tennessee-licensed teachers. Additionally, the program also provides professional development for teachers, enabling more teachers to be qualified to teach AP coursework within their districts. Since the program’s inception, thousands of students have gained access to AP coursework and student success on AP exams has garnered a potential of over $1,000,000 in tuition costs saved.
Career Kickstart is a new career-focused program that leads to credentials and college credit for all students who want to prepare for a career, whether they are heading to two- or four-year colleges, technical schools, or the workforce. Cybersecurity is the first pathway Career Kickstart launched in 2024-25 as a pilot course. Tennessee has 10 schools participating in the pilot years of 2024-25 and 2025-26 in preparation for the national launch in 2026-27.
AP courses provide students with a great opportunity to challenge themselves academically, set themselves apart in college admission, and earn college credit and placement with a successful exam score at institutions nationwide.
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A division within the University of Cambridge, Cambridge International Examination (CIE) provides internationally recognized academic programs for students ages five (5) to 19. CIE education programs are instructionally aligned systems with high school programs specific to freshmen and sophomores as well as to juniors and seniors in their diploma programs that are taught by high school teachers. International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) courses offered to ninth and tenth graders at Cambridge-approved schools provide a strong skills foundation for the increased rigor of the final two years of high school in Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced (A) level Cambridge courses. Juniors and seniors may earn the Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Diploma.
Participating schools design their own Cambridge curriculum based on the needs of their students; some schools may base their whole curriculum on Cambridge qualifications, while others may combine Cambridge with other learning programs. Cambridge offers professional development events and resources for teachers throughout the year. Cambridge currently offers 70 IGCSE courses and 55 AS and A level courses, but not all are taught in the U.S. Once an instructor or school is approved to teach CIE courses, a school implementation advisor is designated to hold accountability and support teachers in curriculum, books, and other applicable needs. An exams officer is also present in these schools to oversee program implementation on site.
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Developed by the College Board, the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams can be taken by students and adults to assess mastery of postsecondary-level material acquired in a variety of ways, including through general academic instructions, significant independent study, or extracurricular work. Students can earn credit for postsecondary coursework in a specific subject. Examinations are currently offered in 33 subjects at test centers across the state. These exams contain multiple-choice questions and take around 90-120 minutes to complete, depending on the exam subject. Students receive their CLEP exam scores immediately after completing the exam except for College Composition and Spanish with Writing.
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Dual enrollment (DE) is a postsecondary course taught either at the postsecondary institution or 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. The location of the course does not affect its status as a dual enrollment course. 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. Dual enrollment instructors must meet postsecondary requirements but do not have to meet specific Tennessee teacher licensure or endorsement requirements.
The dual enrollment grant is one of the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarships, and it provides grant funding for dual enrollment tuition and fees. Students, parents, and school districts can find additional information on course funding, grant eligibility, and participation requirements from the CollegeforTN.org Dual Enrollment website.
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The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program and Career-related Program, available only through approved IB World School, provide internationally accepted qualifications for entry into higher education and the workforce. Their frameworks are designed to empower students, teachers, and schools to tailor an education that is appropriate to their culture, context, interests, and learning abilities. These programs are available to any student ages 16-19 at participating schools. IB aims to produce students with transferable, future-ready skills and an internationally recognized education. Colleges and universities are recommended to award at least three credit hours for IB scores of four or higher.
The Diploma Program (DP) is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, activity, service, and the extended survey. Through the DP core, students reflect on the nature of knowledge, complete independent research, and undertake a project that often involves community service. Students choose subjects from various subject groups and take some subjects at the higher level (HL) and some at the standard level (SL). These subject levels differ in scope but are measured according to the same grade descriptors, yet greater expectations at the higher level.
The Career-related Program (CP) incorporates the values of the IB into a program addressing the needs of students engaged in career-related education leading to higher education, apprenticeships, or employment. CP students take a minimum of two DP courses, a core consisting of four components, and a career-related study.
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Local Dual Credit (LDC) is a high school course aligned to a local postsecondary institution’s course and exam. Students who pass the exam earn credits that are accepted and/or recognized by the local postsecondary institution. Courses are taught by licensed high school teachers or certified college instructors approved by the school system and the postsecondary institution. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is agreed upon by the Local Education Agency (LEA) and the postsecondary institution to establish expectations, requirements for postsecondary credit, and details around certifications among other important aspects of outcomes for the students enrolled in LDC courses.
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Statewide 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 to ensure alignment with postsecondary standards. All students enrolled in a SDC 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. Twelve SDC courses are available to high school students with various pre-requisites that intend on the placement of 10th through 12th graders in the courses. Currently, there are twelve SDC courses available to high school students with various pre-requisites that intend on the placement of 10th through 12th graders in the courses.
Because the Early Postsecondary Opportunity (EPSO) landscape across Tennessee has evolved significantly over the past decade, with expanded course offerings and increased funding opportunities providing students with greater access than ever before. Among these options, the SDC program has served as a widely available EPSO; however, student outcomes have consistently fallen short in comparison to more popular alternatives such as Dual Enrollment and Advanced Placement (AP). As a result, the SDC program will be phased out according to the following timeline. This phased approach allows districts time to transition to other EPSOs that more effectively support student success and align with postsecondary and workforce goals. To support districts in this transition, the Department will provide individualized guidance and assistance in identifying alternative EPSOs, ensuring all students continue to have meaningful access to early postsecondary opportunities.
Phase One (Fall 2025):
Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, incoming freshmen will no longer be able to enroll in SDC courses at any point during their high school tenure. This restriction will apply to all subsequent freshman cohorts.
Phase Two (Fall 2026):
Juniors and seniors will still have access to the following SDC courses:
- Psychology (G04BH5)
- Pre-Calculus (G02H74)
- Introductory Statistics (G02H75)
- American History (G04HB3)
- World History (G04HB4)
The following SDC courses will be retired beginning in the 2026-27 school year:
- Introduction to Business (C12H44)
- Speech and Communication ((G01H71)
- Introduction to Agriculture Business (C18H10)
- Introduction to Education (C32H28)
- Principles of Marketing (C31H27)
- Introduction to Plant Science (C18H09)
- Criminal Justice (C30H11)
Phase Three (Fall 2027):
The SDC program will be fully discontinued, and no SDC courses will be available.
For information about the learning objectives for each course, as well as information on challenge exam dates and college articulation, visit the Tennessee Board of Regent’s Statewide Dual Credit website.
For information on the SDC phaseout, please refer to these Frequently Asked Questions, and the Statewide Dual Credit Sunsetting Plan, or email Michelle.McMillian@tn.gov.