Scheduling Process and Practices

The scheduling process for almost 3000 students is complex and intricate. To make every effort to meet the needs of every student, it's important for all stakeholders - students, families, faculty, school counselors, and administration - to be on the same page regarding some of the most critical information.

Current Students 

Incoming 9th Graders Currently Enrolled in SCPS 

Transferring 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th 

The Scheduling Process and Master Schedule Creation has multiple components:

1. Pre-Registration: Based on student performance in Semester 1, most of a student's 2026-27 courses are pre-registered for them. They are not obligated to keep these pre-registered courses, but they do reflect what is advised for that student. Only certain classes are Pre-Registered: Core Academic, CTE, and some Performing Arts. To learn more, check out Pre-Registered Courses.

2. Enrichment and Elective Selection: While we are competing pre-registration of core courses, students will select their enrichment and elective classes. These requests will be entered directly into Skyward.

3. Course Request Finalization Packets: Once all Pre-Registrations and Enrichment/Elective selections are completed and processed, students will receive a Course Request Finalization Packet. This packet includes the following:

   1. A personalized Course Request form identifying their Pre-Registered courses and the Enrichment/Elective selections they entered into Skyward. This form will have space to request changes.

   2. Paperwork for requesting Modified Schedules. Modified Schedules are any in which a student is requesting fewer than 7 class on-campus, which may be for Dual Enrollment or Virtual at Home.

This packet must be reviewed between students and parents, with accompanying signatures, and broughto to School Counselor 1-on-1s.

4. School Counselor 1-on-1s: School Counselors will meet with 9th, 10th, and 11th graders to review their Course Request Finalization Packets. Changes to course requests will be entered in real-time.

5. Course Request Final Reviews: Students and families will be able to double check the course requests that are in Skyward in early May. If there are errors or if anything has changed, this will be their final opportunity to request changes with their certified school counselor.

6. School-Wide Master Schedule: The Master Schedule that is built in Skyward places almost 3,000 students into the different classes of over 150 teachers across 7 periods and 2 semesters. It is a highly complex structure that is only as accurate as the information used to build it. The foundation of the Master Schedule is student course requests, which should be finalized by April. While some changes can be anticipated (changes in the number of students who need Intensive Language Arts due to F.A.S.T. ELA PM3 outcomes, for example), an influx of even simple changes creates an imbalance in the course offerings and class sizes. For this reason, changes requested after mid-May may not be able to be accommodated.

7. Final Student Schedules: By July 31st, the Master Schedule has been completed and the Skyward Autoscheduler will have placed all 3,000 students into 7 periods of classes based on their course requests. On August 1st, these Final Schedules will be visible to students and families in Skyward.

8. Schedule Repairs and Requests Window: As with any automated process, there will be errors in student schedules. After August 1st, students will be able to submit Schedule Repairs and Requests to their school counselors. Schedule Repairs - corrections to errors by the autoscheduler, including missing periods or repeated credits - are the priority. Schedule Requests - anything not required for students to meet their graduation requirements on time - are always considered secondary.