The days of the old laminate student ID badges for K through 12 are coming to an end, says Education Week’s Digital Directions. Prices on printing ID cards and buying management software are dropping and student ID cards are on the rise.
Continuously evolving to serve multiple purposes, students can checkout library books, buy lunch, open lockers and school administrators can automatically track students’ attendance.
However, as with all things that are new, there are concerns. Beyond price and technical apprehensions, there seems to be push back by parents and privacy advocates who worry the systems could be used inappropriately. Some school districts, though, seem to shake this off, claiming that the systems are doing more good than harm.
Student IDs of today can do so much more by storing information about a student, such as their locker combinations, lunch money, school schedule and other related information.
Hand-held scanners enable hall monitors to pull up students’ schedules to see where they’re supposed to be. These same mobile scanners can also be taken on field trips to keep track of students, ensuring nobody gets left behind.
In some districts, student ID cards are being used to control school parking lots. Student drivers scan their IDs, similar to adults for access to employee parking garages. This allows schools to know who has access and to prevent unwanted persons in the parking areas.
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