A Feasibility Study of Providing Regional Data Processing Services.

A Title III ESEA study sought to determine the feasibility of establishing a central data processing service by the Wabash Valley Education Center for its member schools. First, current applications of data processing in education were reviewed to acquire detailed specifications for an educational data processing center's hardware, software, and liveware or personnel. Then, surveys, interviews, and other means were used to determine what the Center should do to establish such a facility. This part of the study had six dimensions: Assessment of need and identification of services, operational considerations, resource requirements, fiscal considerations, time considerations, and a pilot study of a computerized payroll problem. It was concluded that although sizable capital outlays would be required to establish a data processing center, manual data processing activities carried out by local schools could be eliminated and more services could be provided. The following recommendations were made: (1) A highly competent and capable staff for the data processing division should be developed; (2) a hardware configuration should be based upon the types of services to be provided; (3) operations should be planned on a priority basis, with highest priority going to the least complex services; and (4) primary attention must be focused on completeness and accuracy of output before it is disseminated. (SS)