Generating class schedules within a complex modular environment with application to secondary schools

Westside High School (WHS) of Omaha, Nebraska utilizes a sophisticated scheduling environment called “modular scheduling.”Modular scheduling empowers teacherswith the ability to design the structure of their classes by adjusting the frequency, duration, and location of each of their lessons. This paper presents a novel heuristic methodology, implemented as a computer program called the sequential modular algorithmic routines for timetabling (SMART) Scheduler, which creates cohesive modular class schedules using effective techniques such as ejection trees and student sectioning. In experimentation, the SMART Scheduler is able to schedule over 2,800 distinct lessons in less than 4 s using data provided by WHS. This paper describes algorithms within the SMART Scheduler as well as computational results of its implementation.