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Using student tags in Smart Grouping

Use Tag Balancing when you want ClassSeats to consider student tags while it creates groups. Tags can help you spread certain students across tables, build groups around shared interests, or create a more thoughtful mix of support needs and student strengths.

Note Tag Balancing is best-effort. ClassSeats will try to follow your tag rules while still respecting the group size, table choices, and other grouping settings you choose. Rules such as gender balance, preferential seating, and keep-apart rules always take priority over tag balancing.

Before you start

Tag Balancing works with the student tags already saved in your class.

Before generating groups, create or assign the tags you want to use. You can do that from an individual student card, the Tag Matrix, or while importing students.

Then go to the Groups tab, choose your grouping settings, turn on Table Tag Balancing, and click Add Rule.

Important You cannot use Tag Balancing and Student Preferences at the same time. When used together, there are generally too many conflicts for the intent of the grouping to be satisfied.
Examples

Example 1: Spread chatty students across groups

If a few students tend to pull each other off task, create a tag such as Chatty and use Spread evenly.

ClassSeats will try to avoid placing too many students with that tag at the same table. This can be helpful when students are still able to work with anyone, but you want to avoid accidentally creating one very talkative group.

Groups tab with Table Tag Balancing turned on and the Chatty tag set to Spread evenly
Choose the Chatty tag and set the rule to Spread evenly.

After groups are generated, scan the tables to make sure the result works for your class.

You can still drag students between groups if you need to make a small adjustment.

Generated groups with Chatty tag chips spread across different tables
Review the generated groups to make sure Chatty students are spread across tables.
See how a Chatty tag can be used to spread students across groups.

Example 2: Group students around shared interests

Interest tags can help with project groups, classroom community activities, book clubs, discussion groups, or choice-based work.

In this example, tags such as Anime, Theater, Sports, Gamer, Reader, and Musical give ClassSeats useful classroom context.

Table Tag Balancing rule with multiple student interest tags selected
Select the interest tags you want ClassSeats to consider while groups are generated.

Tag Balancing can then use those tags to help form groups around the interests you choose.

This gives you a better first draft when shared interests are part of the reason for the activity.

Generated groups showing students grouped with visible interest tag chips
Generated groups can reflect the student interest tags you selected.
See how interest tags can guide groups for activities where shared interests matter.

Example 3: Mix support needs and peer leaders

For academic groups, you might want each table to have a workable mix of students who need support and students who can help keep the group moving.

In this example, Needs Support and Peer Leader are used together.

Table Tag Balancing rule with Needs Support and Peer Leader tags selected
Select support-related tags together when you want groups to include a thoughtful mix.

ClassSeats can use those tags to create groups that are more balanced for classroom work.

As always, review the groups before saving them.

Generated groups with Needs Support and Peer Leader tag chips visible on student cards
Review the generated groups and make any small adjustments your classroom needs.
See how support and peer leader tags can help create more balanced work groups.

Example 4: Balance several tags at once

For project work, you may want each group to include a mix of student roles. In this example, students have tags such as Project Manager, Engineer, Writer, and Illustrator.

These tags give ClassSeats role information it can use when groups are generated.

Student Tags page with Project Manager, Engineer, Writer, and Illustrator tags
Create or assign the role tags you want ClassSeats to use during grouping.

Use Spread evenly when you want ClassSeats to try to distribute those roles across the groups.

This gives you a stronger first draft when students will need different strengths at the same table.

Table Tag Balancing rule with Project Manager, Engineer, Writer, and Illustrator tags selected
Select several role tags in the same rule and set them to Spread evenly.

Once the groups are generated, check whether each table has the role mix you were hoping for.

If a table needs a small change, drag students where they need to go before saving.

Generated groups with project role tag chips distributed across tables
Review the generated groups to see how the selected roles were distributed.
See how several role tags can be balanced at once for project groups.
Tip Tags are a starting point, not a replacement for your knowledge of students. If a generated group needs a quick change, drag students where they need to go, then save the groups when they look right.