This article ethnographically examines the ways in which No Child Left Behind (NCLB) links local practices to the centralized processing of data through its narrowing of procedures and measurements aimed at accountability. Framed by actor-network theory, it draws upon data consistently collected between June 2005 and October 2008, and then…

It used to be much easier to get paid by the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). A lot easier, that is, if you didn't work there. Saddled with an antiquated computer system and manual, repetitive data entry of time cards, officials at California's second-largest school district discovered the payroll department was mistakenly issuing $1…

The community cable that brings television programs to homes can, at a small cost, be utilized by schools and local governments as a medium for data communication. Technical and legal aspects are addressed. (MLF)

Examines the external change forces in the environment and their resultant impact on the internal structure and activities of an organization designed to jointly develop uses of computers and data processing techniques to facilitate the administrative, instruction, and research activities of member school districts. (Author/IRT)

Cherry Creek (Colorado) and Los Angeles (California) school districts are using microcomputers linked to central computers to process student data. (Author)

Increased use of microcomputers in schools can be implemented more effectively when management develops acquisitions standards and controls. Technical standards as well as operational and documentation standards are outlined. (MLF)

A network of regional computer processing sites will establish a path for small school districts to access the facilities at a larger computer site. Networking between sites greatly enhances a user's--and consequently his local district's--computing resources. (Author/MLF)

Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 (Illinois) is currently using a Digital PDP-11/70 computer system and administrative software to handle administrative functions with ease and efficiency. These functions include production of reports and payroll, student scheduling, reporting grades and student progress, and maintaining student…

Texas provides computer service to public school districts through 20 Regional Education Service Centers. (Author/MLF)

Utah is one of the few states in the nation to provide statewide educational computer services from a centralized data processing installation. (Author)

The Electronic Data Transfer (EDT) network for Connecticut local school districts encompasses nine major databases and provides dozens of online data reports to network users. At a low cost and high degree of success, EDT has improved the data collection and reconciliation process at the state and local levels and generated a capacity for…

Describes a system for payroll reporting from geographically disparate locations in which data is entered, edited, and verified locally on minicomputers and then uploaded to a central computer for the standard payroll process. Communications and hardware, time-reporting software, data input techniques, system implementation, and its advantages are…

Describes a study that explored the current uses of computers in curriculum development and curriculum management as reported by a selected sample of American school districts. Results highlight reasons for using computers, software used, computer capabilities for speed and efficiency in handling data, and testing and evaluation activities. (five…

To support the position that the use of computers can make educational administration more cost-effective, the minicomputer-based information system in the Ridgeway Public School District in New Jersey is described. A model of the information system is included. (JJD)

School districts need a strategic, comprehensive, electronic data processing resources plan that would include the following major elements: (1) systems; (2) hardware; (3) software; (4) staffing; (5) control; and (6) projected budgets. (MLF)