The feasibility of using a centralized data processing facility to sever a large group of secondary schools and the capabilities of two alternative systems were investigated. The population to be served included 100,000 students in grades 9-14 attending 50 schools in an area having a hundred mile radius. Service requirements were defined to include administrative uses, instructional and practice use by students, and faculty analyses in support of academic studies. Procedure was then developed for translating parameters of school usage into load estimates a system would be required to meet. Following a review of the experience of twelve institutions currently using computer systems, two alternative systems--time-sharing with keyboard terminals and remote batch-processing with reader/printer terminals--were selected. Finally a computer program simulated user loading behavior and systems capabilities. On the basis of cost effectiveness, a system with remote reader/printer terminals was favored. The concluding recommendation supported inclusion of the planning and budgeting requirement for a centralized facility in the near term program of the U.S. Office of Education. (SS)