GC Education Analytics K–12 Master Scheduler vs MasterSchedule.app

GC Education Analytics K–12 Master Scheduler is a browser-based tool for building and refining master schedules, from elementary cohorts to high school block schedules. It supports elementary, middle, high, K–8, and 6–12 configurations. Scheduling models include self-contained, departmentalized, partner/platooning, split-band, traditional daily, A/B block, 4x4 semester, trimester, team-based, modified block, rotating drop, and multiple-variant schedules. Users can place sections by cohort and automatically generate elementary Art, Music, and PE rotations for homerooms. Constraints include teacher-period locks, unavailable times, room requirements, and course priorities. Real-time conflict counts and placement logs show where sections landed or why placement was not possible. Teachers and courses can be imported from CSV, and schedules exported as CSV for an SIS or printing. The scheduler runs in the browser without accounts or servers, keeps school data on the user’s machine, and saves work in browser IndexedDB. It uses a background Web Worker and offers teacher, room, and master-grid review views. The page describes it as a free beta with no sign-up, installation, or cost.

MasterSchedule.app helps K–12 schools build and check a master course schedule before moving it into a student information system (SIS). Its visual grid assigns courses to teachers and periods, and a guided Excel walkthrough imports a course catalog and teacher roster. Real-time checks flag teacher double-bookings and scheduling gaps. Schools can create requirement groups that inherit base requirements, allowing subgroups such as honors, IEP, or ELL to extend them. The validator checks requirements for each student type, and finished schedules can be exported for an SIS or records system. Listed data exchange includes Excel import and CSV export; an SIS connection is not required. The web app is intended for school staff and, according to its privacy policy, does not create student accounts or collect students’ personal information. The site describes school data as isolated by tenant, role-based access, a five-year audit log, and automatic data expiry. The School Plan costs $100 a year, billed per school per year. The pricing page says a trial will be available at the School Plan launch.