Parents in most secondary schools in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) now have a new and better way to keep track of their children’s academic progress at home or away—via personal computer. The Online Achievement and Reporting System (OARS) consists of an electronic grade book called Pinnacle and a classroom-to-home communications system called Edline. Together, the two resources dramatically simplify the process for recording grades and monitoring student achievement.

Edline is a web-based system that provides parents and students with secure online access to up-to-date individual student progress and grades. Parents and students can access this password-protected system via the Internet at any time. A link to Edline is available from the home page of each participating school’s Web site.

Once the family’s account is accessed, a link to each class on a student’s schedule provides information on tests, quizzes, homework assignments, and grades received. A current cumulative grade for the class also is provided. In addition, Edline has the capability to provide additional information such as classroom news, assignment calendars, and other information a teacher chooses to include. Families with more than one child can retrieve information about each child’s academic performance from the same account.

Teachers use Pinnacle to record grades and other information regarding a student’s classroom performance. The electronic grade book is password protected and accessible only to teachers and administrators. Pinnacle makes recording grades much faster than the old by-hand method. All grades are automatically posted to Edline from Pinnacle every Sunday through Thursday evening.

Teachers may access Edline from any Internet-connected computer and may access Pinnacle from any Internet-connected Windows PC. Interim reports are generated from the system and may be printed at each school.

Thirty middle schools, 22 high schools, and two special schools have volunteered to use OARS for the 2006-2007 school year. OARS will be available in all MCPS secondary schools for the 2007-2008 school year. For more information, visit the MCPS Web site.