edulog's boundary optimization module determines optimal boundary configurations based on a set of district-defined parameters. The boundary planning module allows the district to efficiently manipulate attendance boundaries and to quickly determine the effects of the adjustments. With the basic boundary planning module the boundary lines are defined by the user and input into the system. In contrast, the boundary optimization module automatically determines the location of the boundary lines based on weighted user-defined criteria such as school enrollment, capacity, ethnic balance, special programs, or any other criteria available in the database.
edulog amazed the industry with the introduction of global boundary optimization, and actual use of the system by numerous school districts has confirmed our reputation for providing effective software to meet real needs. We believe that the edulog method of combining weighted ethnic, gender, or other demographic data with school building capacities and a digital map that includes hazards and political divisions is perhaps the single most stunning achievement of the edulog development staff. We would like to stress that this is not a prototype, but software which has been used for years.
- This is the most familiar and natural method used in assigning areas to schools by the planning staff;
- It offers improved compactness control so that generated boundaries look reasonable;
- It provides fast processing for loading initial student data and for performing the optimization process;
- The user can define the planning units. This adds a degree of control in interacting with and influencing the automated process;
- Planning units can be easily pre-assigned to schools with a manual override feature during the automated optimization procedure.
"The edulog staff performed a politically sensitive boundary realignment study for the district involving the closing of one elementary school, the opening of another, and the distribution of special needs students to community schools instead of having these students attend only one school, as previously planned.
"The edulog staff listened attentively to our needs and was instrumental in providing our school district with the key elements needed for such a project."