TWO-PHASE MODEL FOR OPTIMIZING SCHOOL TIMETABLES

The problem of elaborating school timetables consists of the allocation of classes to teachers, classes and periods, respecting operational and pedagogical constraints. This work proposes a two-phase optimization approach, combining an aggregate allocation model with a detailed layout-based formulation. In the first phase, the number of classes per teacher, class and day is defined; in the second, previously structured daily patterns are selected, ensuring class coverage, absence of conflicts and quality criteria. Layout-based formulation reduces the dimensionality of the problem and represents complex temporal decisions in a compact way. Computational experiments with literature instances indicate a significant reduction in the solution time compared to a reference formulation, maintaining solutions of comparable quality.