WSIPC
Encyclopedia
The Washington School Information Processing Cooperative (WSIPC) is a public cooperative
in Washington that provides information services to the state's school districts. The board members of the co-op are primarily composed of Superintendents from the State's nine educational service district
s. Today WSIPC has grown to serve the vast majority of Washington's school districts with complete information management
systems for fiscal, human resources
as well as a full student information system
for student data. The main software package deployed by WSIPC is the Skyward
PaC product; also called 'Point and Click' (WSIPC began partnering with Skyward in 2001). Due to extensive customization, the product was rebranded WESPaC - standing for 'WSIPC Enhanced Skyward Point-and-Click'. The WESPaC application can be used via either a web interface or a Citrix server desktop.
In 2000 WSIPC joined the K-20 Education Network. This gave WSIPC even more bandwidth and connectivity with schools. This again was a national first: the first statewide high-speed network for schools.
In 2003 WSIPC provided a case study
for Citrix stating the revenue saved over 5 years. In 2007 WSIPC began using several new systems to provide services to the cooperative. Among these were Adobe Connect (for remote desktop support), Numara Footprints (for customer trouble tickets), and Microsoft
Sharepoint 2007.
Prior to 2001, WSIPC had developed their own software package in-house. Some data centers in the State still run this legacy software.
However, WSIPC does much more than simply provide and support the WESPaC product. Most school districts use a variety of WSIPC services including purchasing and bids, networking
, and contracting. Though WSIPC membership is completely voluntary for schools, and despite growing competition from for-profit corporations like Pearson Education
, WSIPC currently provides SIS services for 279 of the 295 school districts in Washington State.
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
in Washington that provides information services to the state's school districts. The board members of the co-op are primarily composed of Superintendents from the State's nine educational service district
Educational service district
An educational service district or education service district is a type of collective government district in the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. Organizationally different than a school district, a single ESD may serve dozens of school districts...
s. Today WSIPC has grown to serve the vast majority of Washington's school districts with complete information management
Information management
Information management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information...
systems for fiscal, human resources
Human resources
Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...
as well as a full student information system
Student information system
A student info system is a software application for education establishments to manage student data. Student information systems provide capabilities for entering student test and other assessment scores through an electronic grade book, building student schedules, tracking student attendance, and...
for student data. The main software package deployed by WSIPC is the Skyward
Skyward
Skyward is a software company specializing in K–12 administrative software packages used in schools to manage and store information pertaining to Student Management, Human Resources, Financial Management, Food Service and Special Education. They are a provider of this type of software to over...
PaC product; also called 'Point and Click' (WSIPC began partnering with Skyward in 2001). Due to extensive customization, the product was rebranded WESPaC - standing for 'WSIPC Enhanced Skyward Point-and-Click'. The WESPaC application can be used via either a web interface or a Citrix server desktop.
The First Statewide Data Network for Schools
In 1992 WSIPC registered the domain WEDNET.EDU and began connecting all public schools in the State to a central data network called the 'Washington Education Network', or WEDNET. While the original capacity was only 2000 concurrent users, this would eventually become the first statewide network for schools in the US. Many of the schools who originally opted to become part of WEDNET still have 'wednet.edu' as part of their URL.In 2000 WSIPC joined the K-20 Education Network. This gave WSIPC even more bandwidth and connectivity with schools. This again was a national first: the first statewide high-speed network for schools.
In 2003 WSIPC provided a case study
Case study
A case study is an intensive analysis of an individual unit stressing developmental factors in relation to context. The case study is common in social sciences and life sciences. Case studies may be descriptive or explanatory. The latter type is used to explore causation in order to find...
for Citrix stating the revenue saved over 5 years. In 2007 WSIPC began using several new systems to provide services to the cooperative. Among these were Adobe Connect (for remote desktop support), Numara Footprints (for customer trouble tickets), and Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Sharepoint 2007.
Prior to 2001, WSIPC had developed their own software package in-house. Some data centers in the State still run this legacy software.
However, WSIPC does much more than simply provide and support the WESPaC product. Most school districts use a variety of WSIPC services including purchasing and bids, networking
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
, and contracting. Though WSIPC membership is completely voluntary for schools, and despite growing competition from for-profit corporations like Pearson Education
Pearson Education
Pearson Education is an international educational publishing and technology company providing textbooks and other educational material, such as multimedia learning tools...
, WSIPC currently provides SIS services for 279 of the 295 school districts in Washington State.