We believe that education should be accountable. Accountability is only meaningful if there are objective standards against which performance can be measured. We call these objective standards for school performance "Hallmarks".

The word "Hallmarks” comes from an old British tradition of attempting to control quality and honesty in the market place. In the late Middle Ages, officials in London began to verify the many weights and measures used in the city. Those that were in reasonable agreement to the king’s or the city’s definition were given a stamp of authority. Then the ‘Hallmark’ indicated that the measurement was indeed what it said it was. In short, a Hallmark is a verified, authentic standard.