Engrade.com is a gradebook program that has many sophisticated tools that are easy to use.  The program allows my students and their parents to view their assignments online, download missing worksheets, as well as, text me questions and comments from home..  It is easy to set up individual classes, and the  grades are simple to enter.  When the teacher enters an assignment, or clicks on the assignment, the gradebook displays the students’ names in a horizontal list with a box by each name for the assignment grade.  I really like this feature because I do not like to have to find each student’s name and then trace it along the screen until I find the square below the assignment.  However, grades can be entered in the traditional grid also.

Another advantage to Engrade is the calendar.  Assignments can be automatically entered into the calendar when they are added to the gradebook.  When the teacher types the assignment in the grade book, he or she can check a box that records the assignment on the calendar. He will then receive a prompt that allows the teacher to upload a file that contains the assignment, worksheet, etc.

Each student is given a separate log in.  The student can view his or her grades, check the calendar for assignments, download any papers that he needs, and text the teacher if he or she has any concerns or questions.  When the teacher logs in the next morning, any emails sent the night before pop-up, so he can answer the students or parents.

The gradebooks are stored online in the teacher’s account.  My account still has gradebooks from four years ago.  As I sometimes teach credit recovery classes, I like to keep these scores until the student graduates, in case there is a clerical error and the replacement credits are not recorded.

Teachers can created online quizzes that are automatically graded.  A teacher can even build online class Wikis with students and colleagues.  There is also an attendance component.  When an entire school uses the program, there is an administrative component that allows the administrator to view current grades and attendance data for a given student.

The best part is that it is truly and permanently free.