pre-reqs in a semester schedule

[ekrasnai]

All,

Our high school operates on a semester schedule.  All of our courses are 1/2 year courses.  So, a student could have Algebra 1 in the first semester and Algebra 2 in the second semester.  But, Powerschool does not seem to schedule the courses accurately.  Way to often it will schedule Alegebr 2 the first half of the year and Algebra 1 in the first half of the year.  This requires a ton of work to fix.  What is the solution?  

Ed K

[nicolebond]

Do all students take Algebra I the first semester and Algebra II the second semester? I was thinking you could use a constrainst. 

[ekrasnai]

No.  They do not.  This situation exists for a large number of courses if students choose 2 science courses, Foreign Language, etc.  

[CindyM8]

You may want to try adding a load course relationship of has load prereq with. See this article for more info:

https://help.powerschool.com/t5/PowerSchool-SIS-Knowledge-Base/How-it-Works-PowerScheduler-Course-Re...

[nicolebond]

That's a good idea.

[ekrasnai]

This article will not open for me.  Do you have another link?

[nicolebond]

I think you have to be a technical contact for your district for the link to work.

[CindyM8]

A description of the PowerScheduler course relationships is also in the online help menu.

https://ps.powerschool-docs.com/pssis-admin/23.3/course-information

[nicolebond]

How it Works: PowerScheduler Course Relationships

 

 

 

Summary

In PowerScheduler for each course, you can define related courses using these options on the Course Relationship tab.

This forces the system to consider other courses when determining the best placement for a course when building the master schedule. These relationships will only be honored if the system can make it work in conjunction with the other Course/Teacher/Student/Room Preferences that have been set up.  

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Build Process Relationships

Setting	Description	Is Blocked for Building With	Defines how courses schedule in relation to other.  Note: This is the only Course Relationship option which uses Relationship Codes. Relationship Codes Simultaneous: Blocked course must be scheduled at the same as the current course.  Sections and Teachers can be different. Before or After: Sections of the two courses must be taught back to back.  Note: Creates section link. Before: Sections of Course A must be taught before B. Note: Creates section link. After: Sections of Course A must be taught after B. Note: Creates section link. Different Terms: Sections must meet in the same period but in different terms. Note: Creates section link. Combine Into: Blocked course must be scheduled at the same as the current course. Sections and Teachers must be the same. Note: To create a Block Combine relationship, both courses must have identical assignments and preferences. Opposite Days: Sections of Course A must be taught in the same period as Course B, but on opposite days. Note: Creates section link. Section: Students enrolled in Class A must be enrolled in Class B.  Note: Creates section link.
May Be Built Concurrent With	Courses that can meet at the same time, in the same place, and taught by the same teacher. For example, a remedial education teacher with very small section enrollment sizes may benefit from having the scheduler place a section of 2 students in Remedial Math and a section of 3 students in Remedial Reading at the same time.  Load Process Relationships Setting Description Has Load Coreq With/Of The term of one section must be the same as, or a subsection of, the term of the other section. If one (first or second course) is S1 then the other may be the same, S1, or subsection, Q1, Q2, or T1. Term T2 would overlaps, but it is not a co-req. Has Load Postreq With The term of the first section must end before the term of the second section begins. For example, Biology II in Semester 2 could be a Postreq for Biology I in Semester 1. Has Load Prereq With The term of the first section must start after the term of the second section ends. For example, Biology I in Semester 1 could be a Prereq for Biology II in Semester 2. Must Not Load Coreq With This setting requires that the courses must not be scheduled in the same term or sub-term. For example, Biology should not load Coreq with Chemistry. If Biology is in Semester 1, then Chemistry cannot be scheduled for S1 or any terms within S1, such as Q1, Q2, or T1. Chemistry could be scheduled for terms outside of S1, such as S2, Q3, Q4, T2, and T3. Overlapping terms, such as T2, are allowed. Must Load Distinct (no term overlap) WIth This setting requires that the courses must not be scheduled in the same term, sub-term, or overlapping term. For example, Biology must load Distinct with. If Biology is in Semester 1, then Chemistry cannot be scheduled for S1 or any terms within S1 or overlapping S1, such as Q1, Q2, T1, or T2. Chemistry could be scheduled for terms outside of S1, such as S2, Q3, Q4, and T3. Overlapping terms, such as T2, are NOT allowed. Must Load the Term After This setting requires that course must load the term after another course. For example, Biology must load the term after Chemistry. If Chemistry is in Quarter 1, then Biology must load in Quarter 2. Biology cannot load in Quarter 1, Quarter 3, Quarter 4, or Semester 2. Must Load the Term Before This setting requires that course must load the term before another course. For example, Biology must load the term before Chemistry. If Chemistry is in Quarter 2, then Biology must load in Quarter 1. Biology cannot load in Quarter 2, Quarter 3 or Quarter 4.   Simultaneous Relationship Propagation The PowerScheduler engine propagates simultaneous relationships between courses that: Share a simultaneous relationship with the same course. Have the same number of sections Example Course A and Course B have a Blocked Simultaneous relationship. Course B and Course C have a Blocked Simultaneous relationship. If A, B, and C have the same number of sections; the engine treats Courses A and C as having a Blocked Simultaneous relationship. CoReq, PostReq, PreReq Coreq, Postreq, and Prereq only relate to the current scheduling year. The system does not check historical data for previous courses.