Our research partner, Dr. Robert Marzano, reports: ...virtually every study that has examined the role of the classroom teacher in the process of educating students has come to the same straight forward conclusion: an effective teacher enhances student learning more than any other aspect of schooling that can be controlled. (Classroom Assessment & Grading that Work -- ASCD, 2006)

Any meaningful change in student outcomes must be classroom-centered. There is no set of tools that can replace the impact of a good teacher on a group of students. But by putting the right information and a powerful set of technology tools into the hands of a good teacher, schools can create a formula for success.

Gradebooks have been a mainstay in classrooms for generations. The electronic gradebook at the center of the Pinnacle Suite puts the integration of formative assessment and standards-based grading in one place -- the teacher's gradebook. All information impacting instruction is right at the teacher's fingertips, where they live and breathe every day.

Utilizing the latest in fully browser-based technologies, Pinnacle Grade delivers the robust functionality and feature set you've come to expect from the award-winning Pinnacle Suite -- on-demand, via browser, and with a true zero footprint. Zero software installation, no local client of any kind... not even a browser plug-in.

The Pinnacle Grade fully incorporates many AJAX features to provide a rich user experience: smooth scrolling; instant response rollover information; "smart" menus and drop-down options; and immediate, real-time information. Pinnacle Web's state-of-the-art technology offers an intuitive user interface designed to provide a streamlined, simplified experience for all end users and to improve system performance.

Successful change is driven by what happens in the classroom. We have seen the improved progress toward learning goals that results from the integration of formative and summative assessments with standards-based instruction. Frequent formative assessments allow teachers to continually adjust their instructional plan to ensure student success. The Pinnacle Suite integrates all the data sources for each student -- learning standards, assessment results, and other benchmarks -- giving teachers all the information they need to differentiate their instruction and create successful learning paths for every student.

Standards-Based Grading

For those schools and districts moving to a standards-based environment, the Pinnacle Grade is the ideal choice. The most comprehensive, state-of-the-art standards assessment solution of its kind, Pinnacle Grade provides instant decision support tools for teachers on standards mastery. Recommended and endorsed by such experts in the field as Dr. Robert Marzano and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), this gradebook aids instruction on a day-to-day basis in the classroom environment by delivering real-time feedback to teachers--increasing the reliability of your formative assessments.