EPSOs Overview
EPSOs are a vital component to Tennessee’s Ready Graduate Indicator in Accountability. The Ready Graduate should have a high probability of seamlessly enrolling in postsecondary education and securing high-quality employment. The Ready Graduate must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- earn a composite score of 21 or higher on the ACT; OR
- complete four early postsecondary opportunities (EPSOs); OR
- complete two EPSOs + earn an industry certification; OR
- complete two EPSOs + earn a score of military readiness on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT)\
Learn about EPSOs at EHS by scrolling down or clicking the links below.
2017-18 Highlights
*Credits earned reflect 2017-18 data, while courses available reflect current offerings.
- 42 Local Dual Credits earned. Courses available: Emergency Medical Services, Medical Therapeutics, Chemistry, Computer Applications, Coding I, Web Design Foundations, Criminal Justice II & III, Pre-Law II & III, Accounting I & II, Banking & Finance, Administrative Management, Business Communication, Aviation Flight I & II, Unmanned Aircraft System, Flight Simulation Lab, Maintenance & Light Repair II, III, IV
- 793 Statewide Dual Credits earned. Courses available: in 2018-19: Pre-Calculus, Statistics, Criminal Justice, Intro to Plant Science, and Intro to Business
- 50 Industry Certifications earned. Certifications available: Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Excel, MOS PowerPoint, MOS Word, Certified Nursing Assistant, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Precision Measurement Instruments
- Courses available: British Literature, Speech, Statistics, Advanced Computer Applications, Composition I & II, Chemistry II, US History I & II, Psychology, Business Communications, Intro to Criminal Justice
- Courses available English IV AP, Biology AP, US History AP, Human Geography AP, Music Theory AP
Statewide Dual Credit
As one type of the early postsecondary opportunities (EPSOs), Statewide Dual Credit (SDC) is a high school course aligned to a postsecondary standards developed and approved by the Consortium for Cooperative Innovative Education. The accompanying challenge exam allows students exceeding an established cut score to earn postsecondary credit at any public postsecondary institution. This course is taught by high school faculty at the high school.
SDC Challenge Examination
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.
By showing and analyzing the data of students’ challenge exam result for Spring 2018 on Statewide Dual Credit (including pass rate and fail rate, total student enrollment for each district and school, spring semester pass rates comparison, and the overall score trends), this report aims at providing a whole picture of the Statewide Dual Credit implementation across the state.
2018 Success Rates for SDC Courses
In this section, we summarize the student enrollment, as well as the number and percentage of students who passed and failed the challenge exam by course, and compare the pass rates for SDC courses by the two categories of full implementation courses and pilot courses.
During the spring 2018 semester, 6,585 students in total participated in the challenge exam for the Statewide Dual Credit courses. Among these students, 793 students (12%) passed the exam.
The largest amount of students were enrolled in Pre-Calculus (2618), followed by Statistics (1219), American History (803), and World History and Geography (659).
In terms of the pass rate, SDC Introduction to Agriculture Business has the highest pass rate of 30%, followed by the course of Criminal Justice II (24%).
EHS ranked 2nd in the state in pass rate for American History with 4 out of 15 passing, and EHS was 1st in the state for Criminal Justice 2 with one student taking and passing the test.
Course name |
Total students |
Pass |
% pass |
Fail |
% Fail |
American History |
803 |
26 |
3% |
777 |
97% |
Criminal Justice 2 |
286 |
68 |
24% |
218 |
76% |
Pre-Calculus |
2618 |
472 |
18% |
2146 |
82% |
Psychology |
250 |
3 |
1% |
247 |
99% |
Intro to Agriculture Business |
63 |
19 |
30% |
44 |
70% |
Intro to Plant Science |
320 |
36 |
11% |
284 |
89% |
Intro to Sociology |
367 |
30 |
8% |
337 |
92% |
Statistics |
1219 |
135 |
11% |
1084 |
89% |
World History and Geography |
659 |
4 |
1% |
655 |
99% |
Total |
6585 |
793 |
12% |
5792 |
88% |
EHS has expanded State-wide Dual Credit SDC options over the years.
- In 2013—14 EHS offered SDC in Trigonometry.
- In 2014—15 EHS offered SDC in Trigonometry, Statistics, and Criminal Justice.
- In 2015—16 EHS offered SDC in Trigonometry, Statistics, and Criminal Justice.
- In 2016—17 EHS offered SDC in Pre-Calculus and Statistics.
- In 2017—18 EHS offered SDC in Pre-Calculus, Statistics, Criminal Justice, and American History.
- In 2018—19 EHS offered SDC in Pre-Calculus, Statistics, Criminal Justice, Intro to Plant Science (aka: Greenhouse Management), and Intro to Business (aka: Business Management).
Awarding Postsecondary Credit
- Students who pass their statewide dual credit challenge exam are eligible to receive college credit at any of the public postsecondary institutions in the state. However, students need to enroll in an institution in order to receive “transcripted” college credit.
- Upon matriculation, a student is responsible for contacting the institution’s Records Office and providing his/her statewide dual credit course/exam information in order for postsecondary credits to be awarded.
- Statewide dual credit challenge exam scores must be reported on the student’s official high school transcript for the purpose of awarding credit at the postsecondary institution.
Dual Enrollment
Dual Enrollment courses are one avenue for students to earn college credit prior to graduation. Courses are offered by Northeast State Community College at Elizabethton High School. Course costs vary, but are comparatively more affordable than courses taken following graduation while enrolled in a college or university. Credits are earned upon course passage.
Credits for these courses are accepted at all Tennessee Board of Regents colleges and universities, and may be accepted out of state. Sometimes, when the courses are applied in out-of-state colleges, they may be counted as an elective. For this reason, students who plan to attend college outside of Tennessee should check with that school to see how their credits will transfer.
Dual Enrollment courses offered at EHS in 2017-18 include:
- British Literature
- Speech
- Statistics
- Composition I
- Composition II
- Advanced Computer Applications
To cover the cost of the first two courses, students apply for a grant through Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC). Currently, the first two classes are free through the grant. The 3rd and 4th classes are billed at cost (approximately $400 each). If they take more than four courses, the cost is subtracted from HOPE scholarship funds. (All students that take dual enrollment courses are also HOPE qualified because the prerequisites for dual enrollment are the same as for HOPE.)
We are already working on new Dual Enrollment classes for next year with Milligan College and ETSU. Details will be announced later.
Dual Enrollment Guidelines (Northeast State)
Local Dual Credit
One type of the early postsecondary opportunities (EPSOs) is Local dual credit(LDC). Local dual credit 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.
Currently, Elizabethton High School has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Northeast State Community with many CTE classes. They are as follows:
Program: |
NeSCC Course: |
College Credit Hours: |
High School Course/s: |
Emergency Medical Technology |
EMTP 1015 Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation |
1 |
Emergency Medical Services- #5995 Medical Therapeutics- #5999 |
Chemistry |
CHEM 1060 Introduction to Chemistry |
4 |
Chemistry- #3221 |
Computer & Information Sciences |
INFS 1010 Computer Applications |
3 |
Computer Applications- #5891 |
Computer & Information Sciences |
CITC 1301 Introduction to Programming and Logic |
3 |
Coding 1- #6098 |
Computer & Information Sciences |
CITC 1300 Beginning HTML and CSS |
3 |
Web Design Foundations- #6100 |
Public Safety & Justice Administration |
CRMJ 1010 Introduction To Criminal Justice |
3 |
Criminal Justice II- #5988; Criminal Justice III- #5889 Pre-Law 2- #6196 Pre-Law 3- #6197 |
Industrial Technology- Automotive Service |
AUTO 2210 Alignment & Brakes |
4 |
Maintenance & Light Repair II- #5880; Maintenance & Light Repair III- #5881 Maintenance & Light Repair IV- #5882 |
Industrial Technology- Automotive Service |
AUTO 2140 Engine Analysis |
4 |
Maintenance & Light Repair II- #5880; Maintenance & Light Repair III- #5881 Maintenance & Light Repair IV- #5882 |
Industrial Technology- Automotive Service |
AUTO 1120 Automotive Electrical |
4 |
Maintenance & Light Repair II- #5880; Maintenance & Light Repair III- #5881 Maintenance & Light Repair IV- #5882 |
Business Management |
ACCT 1010 Principles of Accounting |
3 |
Accounting 1- #5910 Accounting 2- #5911 Banking and Finance- #5899 |
Business Management |
BUSN 1305 Introduction To Business |
3 |
Administrative Management- #5895; Business Communication- #5888 Accounting 1- #5910 |
Aviation Maintenance Technology |
AVIT 1300 Introduction to Aviation |
3 |
Aviation Flight I #6070; Aviation Flight II #6148 Unmanned Aircraft System- #23173 Flight Simulation Lab- #23174 |
Elizabethton High School has already scheduled November 29, 2018 as the day for students to take Articulation exams with Northeast State Community College. In the past we have sent students to NeSCC. However, this year all of the exams will be at EHS. We will schedule a similar day for the spring semester.
A good website to view LDC facts vs myths is: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/ccte/eps/eps_dual_credit_local_myths_and_facts.pdf.
Elizabethton High School offers Advanced Placement classes, which allow students to earn college credits prior to graduation. Students who score successfully on the AP Exam for their course(s) will earn college credits accepted at most colleges and universities nationwide. The only additional cost for these classes is the cost to take the test.
AP Classes offered at EHS in 2018-19 include:
- English IV AP
- Biology AP
- US History AP
- Human Geography AP
- Music Theory AP
For general information about AP courses or to see your Exam scores, visit the College Board AP website.
ECS is proud to be one of five school systems in 2018 in which more than 70 percent of students who took the exam earned a 3 or higher, qualifying test takers for college credit.
Industry Certifications
Last year, 50 students earned industry certifications in CPR, and this year, we have added PMI and MOS. EHS was awarded capstone industry certifications grant for 2017--18. Starting in the 2018--19 school year, Precision Measurement Instruments Certification (Includes all sub-tests) is now an allowable capstone industry certification for several areas including: STEM Engineering and Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics Maintenance & Light Repair. Elizabethton High School offers both of these. PMI Certification has been approved in each of the courses Principles of Engineering and Technology (course code 5924) and in MLR 3 (course code 5881).
TDOE promoted 2018—19 student |
Aligned TDOE Program of Study |
Aligned course in which students will |
---|---|---|
MOS Excel |
Office Management |
Advanced Computer Apps (5904) |
MOS PowerPoint |
Office Management |
Advanced Computer Apps (5904) |
MOS Word |
Office Management |
Advanced Computer Apps (5904) |
Certified Nursing Assistant |
Therapeutic Nursing Services |
Nursing Education (6000) |
Precision Measurement Instruments |
Engineering |
Principles of Engineering and Technology (5924) |
Precision Measurement Instruments |
Maintenance & Light Repair |
Maintenance & Light Repair III (5881 |