Credential Information

2026-2027 Academic Year

DRAFT CMS until August 14, 2026.

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Tosa Photoshop

Credential Name	Tosa Photoshop
Credential Vendor Info	Isograd, Inc. Mathieu Lillo 329 NE Couch St. \| Portland, OR 97232 mathieu.lillo@isograd.com (971)-302-2728 www.tosa.org
Implementation Year	2026-2027
Credential Auto Collect	No
Diploma Endorsement	CD10 = Yes
Validation Artifact	Copy of certificate
Credential Lead Consultant	Brent Curran brent.curran@dpi.nc.gov
Course Code and Title	CD10 Adobe Visual Design I Honors
Credential as POL	CD10 POL = Yes ACP Graphic Design and Illustration Using Adobe Illustrator OR Tosa Illustrator AND ACP Visual Design Using Adobe Photoshop OR Tosa Photoshop MUST PASS TWO CREDENTIALS
Pathway(s)	Adobe Graphic Design (AGFX) Office Administration (OADM)
Cost of Instructor Training	$0.00 The cost for training and onboarding is included in the license cost.
Instructor Training Requirements	Available Instructors are encouraged to earn the credential prior to instructing and administering the exam. Practice tests and exam vouchers may be provided to the instructors upon request of the school/district as part of the onboarding and training process.
Exam Voucher Expiration	12 months At the end of the term, unused licenses can be extended for an additional 12 months by placing a renewal order for the same quantity.
Credential Lifespan	3 years
Renewal Options	Yes A student must retake the certification on or after the expiration date to maintain or renew it. The certification retake process, pricing, and conditions are the same as for the initial certification.
SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) Code(s)	Desktop Publishers (43-9031) Graphic Designers (27-1024) Software Developers (15-1252) Special Effects Artists and Animators (27-1014) Web and Digital Interface Designers (15-1255)
Articulation	No
Sequencing	Yes
Employer Transferability	Yes
Delivery Format	On-line
Proctored Environment Required	Yes Exams can only be administered by a Tosa Approved Test Center and must always be proctored, either in person (on campus), or remotely. Each school, district or college becomes a Tosa Approved Test Center by signing a Testing Center Agreement. A proctor is an employee or a contractor of the Tosa Approved Test Center. Instructors for the content areas related to the certification are not allowed to proctor the exam. For more information: https://www.tosa.org/EN/ExamPolicies
Proctored Requirements	N/A
Test Site Options and Requirements	An education institution in possession of suitable premises for test administration may become a Tosa Approved Test Center by signing a Testing Center Agreement in which they commit to abide to the Tosa exam policies and guidelines. The Tosa Approved Test Center has an online account with Isograd. Each administrator designated by the educational institution has an individual, secured access to the account where they can upload students, assign tests, and schedule exam sessions. If a school cannot be a Tosa Approved Test Center, students may take their exam remotely via Isograd’s online proctoring option, or in person at a Prometric testing location.
Testing Environment Requirements	https://static.tosa.org/tosaorg_1/pdf/tosa_exam_rules_en.pdf
Exam Time Allotment	60 minutes
Exam Passing Requirement	511
Retakes	Yes Students must retake the certification on or after the expiration date to maintain or renew it. The certification retake process, pricing, and conditions are the same as for the initial certification.
Student Accommodations	Yes Accommodations and accessibility features are available when taking the exam. Additional time: The school or district's administrators can grant extra time accommodations to students with exceptionalities directly from the admin platform. Extra time is expressed as a percentage of the test's total time. For instance, assigning 100% extra time to a student will double the time allowance for their exam. Accessibility Features: Tosa is WCAG 2.2 AA compliant. Accessibility features include: Page Structure, Color Contrast, Interactive Elements, Icons and Decorative Images, Responsive Design, Fonts, Keyboard Navigation, Accessible Modals. Video Transcriptions: All videos are accompanied by text transcriptions to support users who are deaf or hard of hearing. When Answering: Navigate using keyboard controls: arrow keys, Tab, Enter, Spacebar, and other screen-reader-specific combinations. Administrators can also enable options for pausing the test and adding comments to individual questions.
Multilingual Resources*	Yes Practice tests and exams are available in English and French. Training resources available in the Isograd Learning Platform are available in English.
Directory Notes	None

The North Carolina Office of Career and Technical Education provides multiple opportunities for students to obtain Industry-Recognized Credentials during their high school career.
Industry-recognized credentials hold immense value as they not only validate student skills and knowledge in a specific field but also serve as a powerful stepping stone toward future careers.

They provide a competitive edge in the job market, making students more attractive to potential employers and increasing their earning potential.

Moreover, industry-recognized credentials often lead to more job opportunities and pathways for advancement, helping students embark on successful and fulfilling career journeys.

Beyond the immediate benefits, these credentials instill a sense of accomplishment and confidence, motivating students to pursue higher education or dive directly into the workforce with the skills and certifications needed to excel.

Ultimately, industry-recognized credentials empower high school students to bridge the gap between education and real-world employment, setting them on a path toward a brighter and more prosperous future.

Access the NCDPI Credentials and Reporting website to submit a credential application and to view the latest Credential Attainment Report.

^ Indicates the pathway is an approved Local Course Option (LCO) pathway.

* Where multilingual exams are indicated, please be advised that the state of North Carolina adheres to general statute as follows:
G.S.§115C-81.45(a) requires classes (silent on exams) to be conducted in English "[e]xcept when a board authorizes teaching in a foreign language to comply with federal law."
Therefore, NC CTE will abide with the Accountability guidance that LEAs are not required to provide exams in other languages. If they choose to do so, it will be at local discretion.