Scheduling

Scheduling involves specifying how courses or subjects are offered at a school [>>], defining scheduling elements [>>] and structure [>>], assigning teachers and rooms to courses or subjects, and creating student schedules [>>]. Students at a school may be able to make course requests [>>].

Scheduling at a secondary school differs from an elementary school. Refer to the following topics:

These scheduling procedures have some tasks in common, including setting up a scheduling structure [>>].

Scheduling method

You can set up a school to use one of two types of scheduling: elementary or secondary. For a description of the main differences between the two methods, refer to Table 96 [>>].

Elementary scheduling [>>]	Secondary scheduling [>>]
Structured around homerooms [>>]. = Every student is assigned to a homeroom. = Based on his or her homeroom, PowerSchool SMS assigns a student to core set of classes. = The students from a homeroom usually stay together for most of each day. = The homeroom teacher teaches most of the subjects to the same group of students. Scheduling: = You can adjust individual student schedules by transferring them to other classes [>>], as well as by using subject exceptions and resource assignments to support special cases. = You have the option of creating a schedule structure [>>] and assigning meeting patterns to classes.	Structured around classes. = For each class, students usually go to a different room with different students. = The homeroom, if used, is usually only for announcements.
Students in a grade level are usually assigned the same set of subjects, which they take for the whole school year.	Offers flexible terms that support any combination of semesters, quarters, or middle-school style class rotations. = Requires complex meeting patterns. = Requires different bell schedules, or different start and end dates, for each term to accommodate the needs of different groups of students. = Teams or platoons of students are rotated through a series of exploratory classes (middle school).
Structured around subjects and a subject framework [>>] = Subjects are offered as core or specialty.	Structured around courses and a course catalog or course list. = Students request individual courses. = Courses are offered as required or elective.
Simple grading structure	Complex grading structure = A school that employs secondary scheduling must also employ secondary grading and secondary report cards.
Employs the elementary school style of report card. = Includes grading table options.	Employs the secondary school style of report card. = Includes grading table options.
Employs the once-daily or twice-daily attendance method [>>].	Employs the once-daily, twice-daily, or by-class attendance method [>>].

Elementary scheduling [>>]

Secondary scheduling [>>]

Structured around homerooms [>>].

= Every student is assigned to a homeroom.

= Based on his or her homeroom, PowerSchool SMS assigns a student to core set of classes.

= The students from a homeroom usually stay together for most of each day.

= The homeroom teacher teaches most of the subjects to the same group of students.

Scheduling:

= You can adjust individual student schedules by transferring them to other classes [>>], as well as by using subject exceptions and resource assignments to support special cases.

= You have the option of creating a schedule structure [>>] and assigning meeting patterns to classes.

Structured around classes.

= For each class, students usually go to a different room with different students.

= The homeroom, if used, is usually only for announcements.

Students in a grade level are usually assigned the same set of subjects, which they take for the whole school year.

Offers flexible terms that support any combination of semesters, quarters, or middle-school style class rotations.

= Requires complex meeting patterns.

= Requires different bell schedules, or different start and end dates, for each term to accommodate the needs of different groups of students.

= Teams or platoons of students are rotated through a series of exploratory classes (middle school).

Structured around subjects and a subject framework [>>]

= Subjects are offered as core or specialty.

Structured around courses and a course catalog or course list.

= Students request individual courses.

= Courses are offered as required or elective.

Simple grading structure

Complex grading structure

= A school that employs secondary scheduling must also employ secondary grading and secondary report cards.

Employs the elementary school style of report card.

= Includes grading table options.

Employs the secondary school style of report card.

= Includes grading table options.

Employs the once-daily or twice-daily attendance method [>>].

Employs the once-daily, twice-daily, or by-class attendance method [>>].

To set a scheduling method for a school:

[SA]

To	You need this permission	Set to	Details
Setting a scheduling method for a school	School Setup > Attendance General Settings	Yes	[>>]

You need this permission

Set to

Details

Setting a scheduling method for a school

School Setup > Attendance General Settings

Yes

[>>]

Two classes treated as one

Where a school's attendance-taking method is By Class [>>], the administrator can specify the circumstances in which PowerSchool SMS should consider a pair of contiguous classes (that is, two classes scheduled into adjacent periods) to be the same class; for example, a chemistry lecture followed by a chemistry lab. This specification affects PowerSchool SMS's calculation of attendance [>>] and instructional minutes.

PowerSchool SMS considers two classes to be one where all of the following are true:

To specify the maximum number of passing period minutes between contiguous classes for those classes to be considered one class:

[SA]