Alma SIS
Alma SIS is a modern student information system designed to help K-12 schools and districts manage student data, streamline administrative workflows, and improve educator-to-parent communication through a unified cloud platform.
Pear Deck
Pear Deck is an interactive presentation tool that transforms static Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint decks into active learning experiences with real-time student engagement and formative assessment features.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Alma SIS | Pear Deck |
|---|---|---|
| Website | almasis.com | peardeck.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✓ 30 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2012 | 2014 |
| Headquarters | Portland, USA | Iowa City, USA |
Overview
Alma SIS
Alma SIS provides you with a modern, cloud-based platform to manage every aspect of your K-12 school or district. Instead of juggling disconnected spreadsheets, you get a unified interface for tracking student demographics, attendance, grades, and scheduling. You can empower your teachers with intuitive gradebooks and automated reporting tools that save hours of administrative work every week.
The platform focuses on fostering better connections between your school and home life. You can provide parents and students with real-time access to assignments and progress through dedicated portals. Whether you manage a single charter school or a large multi-school district, the software scales to meet your specific compliance and reporting needs while keeping student data secure and accessible.
Pear Deck
Pear Deck helps you turn passive presentations into active classroom conversations. Instead of just showing slides, you can insert interactive questions like drawing, multiple-choice, and draggable items directly into your existing Google Slides or PowerPoint decks. This allows you to see every student's response in real-time, ensuring no one is left behind during a lesson.
You can use the platform for synchronous remote learning or in-person instruction to gather immediate feedback. It solves the problem of student disengagement by giving every learner a voice on their own device. Whether you are a K-12 teacher or a corporate trainer, you can track progress through detailed session reports and provide personalized feedback to students instantly.
Overview
Alma SIS Features
- Unified Student Profiles Access comprehensive student data including demographics, medical records, and academic history from a single, centralized dashboard.
- Dynamic Scheduling Build complex school schedules with ease using automated tools that handle sectioning, rotations, and student requests efficiently.
- Standards-Based Gradebook Track student mastery with flexible grading scales that support both traditional and standards-based learning models.
- Parent & Student Portals Improve communication by giving families real-time access to grades, attendance, school news, and upcoming assignments.
- Automated State Reporting Generate accurate state-mandated reports with one click to ensure compliance and secure your school's funding.
- Integrated Admissions Manage the entire enrollment pipeline from initial inquiry and digital applications to final registration and data migration.
Pear Deck Features
- Interactive Slide Types. Add draggable, drawing, and text-response questions to your slides to engage students with different learning styles.
- Real-Time Dashboard. Monitor student progress from your own device and see individual responses as they happen during the lesson.
- Flashcard Factory. Collaborate with your students to create vocabulary flashcards with custom illustrations and examples in a game-like environment.
- Student-Paced Mode. Assign interactive decks for students to complete at their own speed, perfect for homework or independent stations.
- Immersive Reader. Support diverse learners with built-in text-to-speech and translation tools that make your lesson content more accessible.
- Session Reports. Review student performance after class with automatically generated spreadsheets and individual takeaway documents for every learner.
Pricing Comparison
Alma SIS Pricing
Pear Deck Pricing
- Unlimited presentations
- Multiple choice questions
- Text and number responses
- Flashcard Factory access
- Google and Microsoft integration
- Everything in Basic, plus:
- Drawing and Draggable slides
- Student-paced mode
- Teacher Dashboard access
- Individual student takeaways
- Immersive Reader support
Pros & Cons
Alma SIS
Pros
- Modern and intuitive user interface is easy to navigate
- Excellent customer support team provides quick and helpful responses
- Clean visual design reduces the learning curve for new staff
- Flexible grading options support diverse instructional models
Cons
- Custom report builder has a steeper learning curve
- Initial data migration process requires significant time investment
- Some advanced features are locked behind higher-tier modules
Pear Deck
Pros
- Seamless integration with Google Slides and PowerPoint
- Increases participation from quiet or shy students
- Provides instant data for formative assessment
- Easy to learn for both teachers and students
Cons
- Premium features are expensive for individual teachers
- Requires stable internet for all student devices
- Limited formatting options within the slide editor