Pinnacle Academy · Digitus Network
American School Diploma
US
A fully accredited US high school programme offering internationally recognised qualifications from Kindergarten through Grade 12, delivered in live or self-paced format through Pinnacle Academy, a Digitus Network school.
Pinnacle Academy
A Digitus Network School
K–12
Grade Levels
Elementary, Middle & High School
20
Minimum Students
Per grade level per delivery partner
180
Hours Per Course
1 hour per course per day · 36 weeks
24
Courses to Graduate
Total required for High School Diploma
Modes of Delivery
Two flexible delivery formats
Pinnacle courses can be delivered either in live or self-paced format. Each delivery partner must choose to offer Pinnacle courses in one format.
Live Classes
LIVE classes are run via Zoom. Students may join from their home — each student joining from their own device — or from a centre, where all students join from one room. Live lessons must be scheduled in advance and follow a structured timetable throughout the school year.
Self-Paced Classes
SELF-PACED classes are conducted entirely through Pinnacle's learning management system. Students submit work which is graded by Pinnacle teachers. For self-paced delivery, students can complete lessons anytime within the span of 52 weeks from when the courses are opened.
Grade Levels
From Kindergarten to High School Diploma
Pinnacle Academy offers a complete K–12 programme spanning Elementary, Middle, and High School. Any delivery partner must provide a minimum of 20 students per grade level they would like to launch. Delivery partners are welcome to begin with only one grade level.
Suggested starting points depend on your institution type. For higher education partners focused on progression to tertiary education, beginning with Grade 9 allows students to go through the four-year process of receiving a US high school diploma.
For secondary schools, starting either with Grade 6 or Grade 9 would make sense. For primary or joint primary and secondary schools, starting with Grade K or Grade 1 is the recommended entry point.
Regardless of how many grade levels a delivery partner wishes to offer, they must guarantee a minimum of 20 students per grade level they desire to offer to their students.
Minimum Student Requirement
A minimum of 20 students per grade level must be guaranteed by any delivery partner. Partners may begin with a single grade level and expand over time.
Elementary
School
K
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Middle
School
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
High
School
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12 ★ Diploma
Suggested Courses
Comprehensive curriculum across all grade levels
| Grade | Math | English | Science | Social Studies | World Languages | Electives |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | K Math | K English | K Science | North America | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | / |
| 1 | 1 Math | 1 English | 1 Science | South America | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | / |
| 2 | 2 Math | 2 English | 2 Science | Europe | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | / |
| 3 | 3 Math | 3 English | 3 Science | Asia | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | / |
| 4 | 4 Math | 4 English | 4 Science | Africa | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | / |
| 5 | 5 Math | 5 English | 5 Science | Oceania | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | / |
| 6 | 6 Math | 6 English | 6 Science | US History I OR World History I | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | / |
| 7 | 7 Math | 7 English | 7 Science | US History II OR World History II | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | / |
| 8 | 8 Math | 8 English | 8 Science | US History III OR World History III | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | / |
| 9 | Algebra 1 | English 9 | Biology OR AP® Biology | World History OR Islamic History OR AP® Modern World History | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | Health AND Physical Education |
| 10 | Geometry | English 10 | Chemistry OR AP® Chemistry | US History OR AP® US History | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | Music OR Art |
| 11 | Algebra 2 | English 11 OR World Literature | Physics OR AP® Physics 1 | Economics OR AP® Macroeconomics | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | (Choose two) Music, Drama, Art, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology… etc |
| 12 | Precalculus OR AP® Precalculus | English 12 OR AP® English Language | Environmental Science OR AP® Environmental Science | Political Science OR Geography | Spanish OR French OR Russian OR Chinese OR Arabic OR German OR Hindi | (Choose two) Music, Drama, Art, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology… etc |
High School Graduation Requirements — US High School Diploma
4
Mathematics
4 courses required
4
English
4 courses required
4
Science
4 courses required
4
Social Studies
4 courses required
2
World Languages
2 courses (same language)
0.5
Health
0.5 courses required
0.5
Physical Education
0.5 courses required
5
Electives
5 courses required
Total Courses Required
To graduate and receive the US High School Diploma from Pinnacle Academy.
24
Course Levels
Regular & Advanced Placement course options
There are two levels of courses offered. AP® courses are only offered for high school and additional charges may apply.
Standard Offering
Regular Courses
Regular courses do not require any external exams — all grading is completed internally and students receive their final grade from Pinnacle Academy.
Students may progress to all US universities and a small selection of European universities with only regular courses.
Advanced Offering
Advanced Placement (AP®)
Advanced Placement (AP®) courses are college-level classes for which students must sit external examinations. These exams take place in May and can be taken at AP® test centres.
Having completed AP® courses — and the corresponding exams — is considered advantageous for competitive programmes in the US and is a requirement for consideration in many European universities.
Accreditations & Memberships
Globally recognised and accredited
The Pinnacle Academy holds a number of accreditations and recognitions which each serve a specific purpose.
Minnesota Department of Education
Pinnacle is registered with the MN Department of Education as a private school. It has the same requirements (curricular & reporting) as in-person schools in the state of Minnesota.
Global Education Accrediting Commission
Pinnacle is fully accredited by the GEAC, a US-based institutional accreditor. Accreditation is a very important aspect of American schools — it ensures that the school's academic documents are widely recognised.
National Collegiate Athletics Association
Pinnacle's high school program is accredited by the NCAA, which means that student-athletes (students who have participated or are participating in sports) are able to use credits earned at Pinnacle to be eligible for admission into NCAA-member US universities — including Yale, Harvard, Columbia, and 1,000+ others.
CollegeBoard
Pinnacle is registered with the CollegeBoard. When students apply to universities and indicate that they studied at an American school, they'll be asked to indicate the school's CEEB (CollegeBoard) code.