EPSOs
Ready Graduate
To be considered an “READY GRADUATE” by the state of TN, a student must complete one of the following by graduation:
- Score a 21 or higher composite on the ACT (or SAT equivalent)
- Complete four (4) Early Post-Secondary Opportunities (EPSOs)
- Complete two (2) EPSOs + earn an industry certification (in an approved CTE program of study, EPSOs may be general education and/or included in a CTE program of study).
- Complete two (2) EPSOs + score 31 or above on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).
Early Post-secondary Opportunities (EPSO)
Tennessee students have an unprecedented opportunity for education and training beyond high school through the TN Promise. To ensure students are ready to take full advantage of the TN Promise and succeed in postsecondary, all students should have access to rigorous and relevant early postsecondary opportunities (EPSOs). Research has shown that students who participate in early postsecondary courses are more likely to enroll and persist in postsecondary.
Early postsecondary opportunities allow students to:
- earn postsecondary credits while in high school.
- become familiar with postsecondary expectations.
- develop confidence and skills for success in postsecondary.
- make informed postsecondary and career decisions.
- decrease the time and cost of completing a certificate or degree.
- Tennessee high school and college faculty worked together to develop the learning objectives and challenge exam for each course.
- Students have the opportunity to earn credit that can be applied to any Tennessee public postsecondary institution.
- Prior academic performance, ability, and interest should be used to inform student placement decisions.
- The courses add to the portfolio of available early postsecondary credit opportunities, but do not replace local agreements.
- High schools can offer early postsecondary credit courses regardless of their access to a local postsecondary partner or funding for other courses.
- 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.
- 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.
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All statewide dual credit courses are approved by the Consortium for Cooperative Innovative Education before they can be offered as a part of the state’s current pilot program (see Public Chapter 967 for more information).
- Statewide Dual Credit Pilot
- Statewide Dual Credit Full Implementation Course
- More information on statewide dual credit courses: