The Dallas Independent School District uses a multi-step computerized scheduling system to optimize the student's ability to schedule the courses he wants. Four distinct steps are involved: 1) course offerings are defined; 2) student requests are enumerated; 3) schedules are prepared, based upon requests; and 4) students are put into the schedule. A series of computer programs entitled Budget ESTimation (BEST) is employed to assist the secondary principal in dealing with budget preparation, teacher requirement estimates, and schedule making. BESTcloses the time lapse between schedule and personnel projections in relation to budget preparation, providing the administrator with useful data such as on-line student request input and output consisting of line printer budget and schedule working charts. (Author/LB)