Scheduling Based on Teacher Strengths and Student Needs

In one large, high-need middle school, leaders knew their master schedule could make or break students’ chances of getting the help they needed most. Basis partnered with Battelle for Kids and the school to build a data-informed scheduling process that matched teachers’ strengths and students’ needs, instead of simply filling periods and class sizes. The team helped the school analyze student performance data, identify which teachers were most effective with certain subjects and groups of students, and then reorganize class assignments and support blocks so struggling learners could get more time with their strongest teachers.

This work showed how a thoughtful, student-centered master schedule can become a powerful level for equity and learning without adding new staff or resources. By using data to decide who teaches and whom and when, the school collaboration and intervention – all steps that can be adapted by other schools looking to get more out of the time and talent they already have.