Load priority issues

[sdelaney]

In our runs, we're having an issue where things with higher priority aren't getting filled while those with lower priority are.

The quick synopsis: Students in 7th grade take 3 half-year electives, or one-full year elective (i.e. band) and a half-year elective.  

Our full-year elective classes (like Band, Chorus, Phys Ed) are coded with 20 load priority.

Our required half-year elective classes are coded with 30 load priority.

Our half-year elective classes are coded with 30 load priority.

In our most recent run, of the 50+ students to request Band, only 8 got it.  Looking at those 40 some who didn't get it: they were getting 3 half-year classes.  I was easily able to find a spot in their schedule where you'd delete 2 of the half years and plug the Band in, but PowerScheduler isn't seeing that.

We're having it happen across grade levels and across disciplines where the half-year classes (30 priority) are being favored over the full-year classes (20 priority).

Any ideas?

[Reshma]

Hi @sdelaney,

Thank you for posting in PowerSchool Community!

We would want to look into the set up to provide you better assistance on the Load priority issues you are facing.  We recommend reaching out to the PowerSchool's Designated Support Contact within your district who should be able to work with the PowerSchool SIS Support team to troubleshoot what is causing the issue for you. 

[NatashaSC]

Have you built your Course Rank yet?

Try moving the full year electives up higher on the Course Rank and pushing the half-year courses down the rank. This usually solves many of my Load problems.

[cpettus]

I was told by a PowerSchool independent consultant that the Load priorities in Power Scheduler had to be:

1-3-7-15-31-63-etc.

Priority 1 loads first, 63 loads last.

We make Study Halls priority 63.

Academics (A) load first; Electives (E) load after.

So 1A courses load first, then 1E, then 3A, then 3E, then 15A, then 15E, etc.

We used to have 10-20-30-40 but we changed them out last year for the 1-3-7-15-31-63 load priorities, and it seemed to work.