Question 1

What is class list management software?

Accepted Answer

Student placement software helps educators organize rosters and placement rules, generate draft class lists, and compare the mix of students in each room. Staff review the drafts and make the final decisions.

Question 2

What features are included in Shibutz?

Accepted Answer

Shibutz supports the main steps of class placement: Student records and class statistics across gender, behavior, emotional level, social skills, learning level, and attention needs Friend-request results so you can see which students share a class with their requested friends Pairing preferences and separation rules for students who should share a class or be separated CSV or Excel import with column mapping, plus Excel export with Pro Analytics dashboard showing gender ratios, attribute distributions, and friend placement scores per class Free includes 1 class list, up to 25 students per class list, and 3 placement generations per class list. Pro is $199/year and includes unlimited class lists, students, and placement generations, XLSX export for staff review, and billing management for invoices, payment details, and subscription status. For a complete overview, visit our features page .

Question 3

What size schools is Shibutz designed for?

Accepted Answer

Shibutz supports separate placement workspaces, Excel roster import, and multiple class lists. Schools can use those tools for: Small schools with under 100 students Medium-sized schools with several hundred students Large schools with over 1000 students Processing time depends on roster size and placement rules, so try a representative grade before a school-wide rollout.

Question 4

Best class list tool for elementary schools?

Accepted Answer

Shibutz is ideal for elementary schools, providing: Easy-to-use interface for teachers and administrators Comprehensive student attribute management Draft class lists with statistics for staff review Flexible customization to match your school's unique needs Time-saving automation of manual class list creation

Question 5

How does Shibutz handle special education classes?

Accepted Answer

Shibutz helps staff include support needs in class placement: Record support needs and social, emotional, behavioral, and learning scales Compare support profiles across the proposed classrooms Set school-approved classroom capacities and required placements Review the draft with your inclusion team. Staffing and individual support plans remain school decisions

Question 6

How is Shibutz different from using a spreadsheet?

Accepted Answer

With a spreadsheet, your team assigns students and maintains its own balance checks. Shibutz generates drafts from your roster and rules, then shows class statistics and friend-request results for review. See our full feature list .

Question 7

Can Shibutz handle multiple grade levels?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Shibutz can manage placements across multiple grade levels simultaneously. You can: Create separate class lists for each grade Apply different criteria per grade level Manage special cases like mixed-grade classes

Question 8

How can I create balanced class lists?

Accepted Answer

Use the Shibutz placement workflow: Import your student data or add them manually Set your balancing criteria (gender, academic level, behavior) Define any specific student needs or relationships Generate a draft placement Review the classes and statistics. Update the roster or rules and generate again if needed

Question 9

How long does it take to create balanced class lists?

Accepted Answer

Timing depends on roster size, data quality, and how much staff review the result. The workflow has four parts: Import student data: upload an existing Excel roster or enter students manually Set placement rules: choose classroom limits, relationships, and placement rules Generate a draft: create proposed class lists from your roster and settings Review and revise: check each class, including required placements and friend requests

Question 10

How much time will Shibutz save my school?

Accepted Answer

The savings depend on your current process. Excel import, reusable student records, and class statistics can reduce manual copying and recounting, but staff review still matters. Compare the workflow with one grade level to estimate the time saved at your school.

Question 11

What's the ROI of using Shibutz?

Accepted Answer

Start with your own baseline: multiply the staff hours spent on roster cleanup, placement meetings, recounting, and export by your local hourly cost. Then compare that figure with the plan price and the time your team saves during a small trial. Shibutz does not promise a fixed savings percentage.

Question 12

Can Shibutz really create class lists in minutes?

Accepted Answer

Generating a draft is only one part of the work. Allow time to prepare the roster, agree on placement rules, and review the result with staff. The time needed varies by school.

Question 13

Is there a limit to how many students Shibutz can handle?

Accepted Answer

Shibutz does not publish a guaranteed roster size or processing time. For a large cohort, import one representative grade first and verify the placement and review workflow with your own data.

Question 14

How many shuffles/changes can I do?

Accepted Answer

Free includes 1 class list, up to 25 students per class list, and 3 placement generations per class list. Pro is $199/year and includes unlimited class lists, students, and placement generations, XLSX export for staff review, and billing management for invoices, payment details, and subscription status. To revise a placement, update the roster, rules, or settings and generate a new draft; earlier results stay available for comparison.

Question 15

What file formats can I use to import student data?

Accepted Answer

Shibutz supports CSV and Excel (.xlsx) imports. You can also add students manually. During import, match your spreadsheet columns to Shibutz fields such as name, gender, academic level, and behavior notes. A downloadable Excel template is available inside the app.

Question 16

Does Shibutz work on mobile devices?

Accepted Answer

Shibutz is a web-based application that works on any device with a modern browser. While you can view class lists on mobile, we recommend using a desktop or tablet for the best experience when creating and reviewing placements, as the interface involves data tables and detailed review.

Question 17

Do I need to install any software?

Accepted Answer

No. Shibutz is entirely web-based — just open your browser and sign in. There's nothing to install, update, or maintain. Works with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and other modern browsers.

Question 18

How do I set up student matching and separation rules?

Accepted Answer

In your placement workspace, you can record: Pairing preferences — pair students who should be in the same class (e.g., friends who support each other) Keep-apart rules — separate students who shouldn't be in the same class (e.g., siblings, behavioral conflicts) Teacher assignment — assign specific students to specific classes when needed Review the generated classes to confirm required placements and separation rules before approving the lists. Pairing preferences may not all be possible.

Question 19

Does Shibutz use generative AI to place students?

Accepted Answer

Shibutz uses a separate service to generate placements. Its use of generative AI or student data for training has not been verified. Before uploading a roster, review the data handling and AI information with your school.

Question 20

Where is my data stored and processed?

Accepted Answer

Vercel hosts the app, Clerk handles account sign-in, and Supabase stores rosters, placement rules, settings, and generated results. Generation and export send the relevant student and placement data to the Shibutz placement service. The Privacy Policy explains which services receive data and what is known about how long they keep it.

Question 21

Is Shibutz COPPA and FERPA compliant?

Accepted Answer

Shibutz is built for authorized adult school staff. It has no student-facing workflow and does not ask children to submit placement data. That design can support a school's privacy review, but each school remains responsible for deciding whether its use meets COPPA, FERPA, local law, and district policy. Review the security and compliance notes with your own requirements.

Question 22

Can I use partial names or school IDs?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Full names are not required, so you can use partial names, initials, or school IDs if that fits your policy. The other placement fields may still be personal or educational records, so replacing names does not automatically make the full roster anonymous.

Question 23

Who can access my school's data?

Accepted Answer

Your workspace is linked to your signed-in account. The service providers needed for hosting, storage, placement, billing, and analytics process the specific data described in our Privacy Policy . Shibutz does not sell or rent personal or student information.

Question 24

What happens to my data if I cancel?

Accepted Answer

Canceling Pro does not delete class lists, students, or assignment results. You keep Pro access until the paid period ends. If the account later moves to Free, you can still view existing work, but work beyond Free limits and XLSX export require Pro. Deleting your account is a separate step that starts removal of saved rosters and placements. Some account and billing records remain, and providers may retain their own records. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Question 25

What's included in the Free plan?

Accepted Answer

Free includes 1 class list, up to 25 students per class list, and 3 placement generations per class list. Use it to test a small roster. XLSX export is a Pro feature.

Question 26

How much does Pro cost?

Accepted Answer

Pro is $199/year and includes unlimited class lists, students, and placement generations, XLSX export for staff review, and billing management for invoices, payment details, and subscription status.

Question 27

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can cancel from the Billing page. Your Pro access continues until the end of the current billing period.

Question 28

What happens if I downgrade to Free?

Accepted Answer

Nothing is deleted. You can view existing class lists and results, even if they are over the Free limits. Creating more class lists, adding students beyond 25, running more than 3 generations, and XLSX export require Pro.

Question 29

How do I get an invoice?

Accepted Answer

Open Billing and choose Manage Subscription . The billing portal has invoices, payment details, and subscription status.

Question 30

Do you offer refunds?

Accepted Answer

You can request a full refund within 7 days of purchase by emailing support@shibutz.com. After 7 days, refunds are handled case by case or where required by law.

Question 31

Can I pay with a purchase order?

Accepted Answer

Card payment is self-serve. For a purchase order or invoice-based procurement, email support with your school name and what you need.

Question 32

Can I export my class lists?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with Pro. You can export your reviewed class lists to Excel (.xlsx) format for sharing with teachers, printing, or importing into your school management system. The export includes all student details, placement results, and per-class statistics — gender ratios, attribute distributions, and friend-request results — so you can review balance at a glance.

Question 33

Can I share class lists with other staff members?

Accepted Answer

Currently, class lists are tied to individual accounts. To share with colleagues, you can export the lists as Excel files and share them through school-approved channels. Check the student details included before sending a file.

Question 34

Can I switch from using spreadsheets to Shibutz?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you've been managing class lists in Excel or Google Sheets, you can import the existing student data. Setup time depends on roster cleanup and column mapping. The getting started guide covers the setup flow.

Question 35

Need help with Shibutz?

Accepted Answer

For support, email us with the details your school can share. We can help with: Email us with questions Get assistance with using the software Receive help with importing your student data

Frequently Asked Questions

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