GC Education Analytics K–12 Master Scheduler vs UniTime

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.

UniTime is a free educational scheduling system for course and exam timetables, room sharing, and student class assignments. Course scheduling can account for student demand, curricula, historical patterns, faculty and room preferences, and relationships among classes. Its examination module builds term schedules intended to minimize student exam conflicts and can schedule midterms and finals. The web-based Events interface lets staff and students request events or search for available times and locations, with notices sent to organizers. Student scheduling assigns students to available class spaces using course requirements and timetable information, but cannot guarantee that every conflict will be resolved. UniTime runs as a server-client application with a web interface and platform-independent distributions. It can operate independently or connect to an existing student information system; documentation describes XML imports and exports and RESTful interfaces. Installation guidance covers Linux, Windows, and Mac. Administrators may configure SSL access through Tomcat and LDAP authentication. The application is distributed under Apache License 2.0. The installation page recommends UniTime 4.8 for production, while UniTime 4.9 is still in development.