THE HISTORY OF PINNACLE EDUCATION

Pinnacle Education was founded in 1995 as an educational development program for students struggling in the traditional high school setting, providing computer-assisted instruction with social skill training and workplace development.

Then known as the Arizona Career Academy, the program, first offered at a high school in Tempe, Arizona, was recognized for its ability to keep students in school and for its overall excellence. In fact, it was made a national test site for Jostens Learning, the largest educational software company and in 1996 was fully accredited by the North Central Association.

In 1998, Pinnacle Education became the first charter school in Arizona and opened a second high school in the East Valley. A year later, the success of the program and growth of the student body prompted Pinnacle Education to add more instructors, open a third high school and to offer its unique education via the Internet.

In 2000, Pinnacle Education opened three additional high schools to accommodate the hundreds of students seeking an alternative to the traditional high school experience.

In 2003, Pinnacle Education was designated a “distance education provider” by the state of Arizona, and launched Pinnacle Online High School. That same year, Pinnacle Education was fully accredited by the Commission on International and Transregional Accreditation.

In early 2008, in response to a growing demand, Pinnacle Online High School expanded the number of classes offered to students and opened its virtual doors to students outside Arizona.

Since 2003, the number of students Pinnacle Education teaches each year has doubled. Today, Pinnacle Education provide education to more than 10,000 students and award more than 20,000 high school credits each year.