Operational constraints
What is Placement constraints?
Placement constraints are rules or preferences that shape which class assignments are allowed or preferred.
What it means in class placement
Constraints are the difference between making lists and making lists that respect reality. Some are hard constraints, like a required placement or a separation rule. Others are softer, like trying to honor friend preferences or balance support needs.
The art is knowing which constraints are truly non-negotiable. Too few constraints produce lists that ignore staff knowledge. Too many can make the problem impossible or push imbalance somewhere less visible.
Examples in a real placement meeting
- 1
A student must be placed in a class with a specific service model.
- 2
Two students should not share a classroom because of repeated conflict.
- 3
Each class should stay near the target class size while balancing support needs.
How Shibutz uses this idea
Shibutz records constraints as explicit inputs, so the generated placement reflects the rules your staff already knows.
Generate with placement constraints