Implementing a Student Identification System
By Nikki Stephens
Establishing a safe school environment in today’s world is fundamental and necessary for a successful academic year. One key component in safe school practices is the implementation of student and staff identification badges. ID badging systems are easy to implement and economical. Public and private schools alike commonly provide identification cards at the beginning of each school year for students, faculty, and staff members.
Reasons for implementing a student and staff identification program are as follows:
Identification
Identification badges are used to identify the students and staff who belong in the school community. Whether or not the ID contains a photo, when students and faculty wear their badges in a visible location, a sense of belonging is provided.
The identification cards can be used to facilitate student discounts at school events and with participating local merchants. Schools have implemented specialized rewards from retail establishments based on grade point averages. The verification of the student reward level can be identified by review of an indicator on the identification card.
Security
A sense of security is provided when students and staff wear an ID badge that shows they belong. Allowing students and staff to identify each other promotes a secure feeling of community within the school.
Some school buildings are being outfitted with secure access doors. Doors from the outside, or even some doors within buildings, are opened by using a specialized access card that provides permission to unlock doors. Student and staff identification cards are often combined with the access-capable card to produce a dual-purpose card.
Streamline Processes
Many school lunch lines use POS systems that require entry of a barcode number to charge food purchases to prepaid account balances. There are a number of different methods to identify students as they walk through lunch lines. Some schools request students memorize their number and recite or punch in their number on a keypad as they go through the checkout lines. Other software systems allow a swiping of a mag stripe or scanning of a barcode card.
Often, it is possible to use a dual-purpose card as an identification card and as a means of purchasing through the lunchroom cash register. Cashiers at the checkout can verify the authenticity of the student by comparing the photo on the card to the student presenting payment information.
Media specialists also frequently use a student database to track media checked out to students and staff. Similar to the food service area, the specialists may need to verify identification with the student as they provide a student number for their book checkout. Many school media personal appreciate the barcode identification card at checkout time to verify the student number is the correct number for the person requesting the materials.
Collect Data
If a student is provided a student number when entering a school system, this number is often used as the barcode number on a student’s identification card. Using this number consistently throughout the student’s tenure in the system, the school can track students and scores from preschool into high school. The barcode photo identification card may be useful in collecting information in various situations.
Time on task can also be easily collected with barcode identification systems. Outside classroom task requirements and staff payroll reports can be generated through software that collects data provided by swiped barcode or punched keypad.
When an identification card system is approved for purchase for the upcoming school year, some preplanning is needed prior to purchase or implementation to guarantee the correct in-house system is selected.
The most important aspect of student identification is to determine what the goals of the system will accomplish. Is a basic identification what is needed, or are there a number of internal system processes discussed above that will be utilized? This thought process will determine answers to the following questions.
1. What format will the identification card take on? Will the card lay vertical or horizontal?
The layout of the badge often depends on the information printed on the badge. The school logo, picture, barcode, and needed text may fit together better using one format over the other. A horizontal badge allows for longer and larger text fields on the badge, which makes long student names readable. The disadvantage to horizontal is that the wide card is in the way more often than the sleek vertical card.
2. Will the identification card contain a photo? How will photos be taken or acquired?
Photos can be taken in house or provided by the school photographer. If taken in house, the camera used may be a standard digital camera that will produce picture files that are downloaded into the student identification database. Some camera and software options allow direct importing of the picture into the badging software for immediate printing.
3. How much personal information will be printed on the card?
Generally, less amount of personal information is preferred on a student ID badge. As students frequently misplace cards, only critical information necessary for card use should be placed on the badge. If information needs to be kept with the student’s profile, it can be kept with the database of student ID information, but not actually printed on the card.
4. Will the backside of the card be printed?
It is cost-efficient to produce single-sided cards for student identification purposes. The extra real estate of the back side is generally not needed, as bar codes can be placed on the front of a card. Items that are sometimes found on the back of the card may be school address information or a mission statement.
Once these answers are determined, the printer system selection can begin. Here are the components to the systems.
Card Printer
Standard ID card printers print on cards with the same look and feel as a standard credit card. Printers can print single color or full color on either the front side or both sides of the card. Various printers have the capabilities of printing barcodes, encoding mag stripes, and adding additional security layers to the card for specialized organizational needs. Most printers are capable of printing thousands of cards.
Software
The software is where the design of the ID badge is laid out. Logos are imported and fields are set up for various data that will be added to each card prior to printing. Many manufacturers provide software options that maintain a database of cards made for easy reprints.
Some software comes with the ability to import and print signatures and fingerprints. Enhanced versions of some software packages allow connection to MySQL databases for easy importing of data.
Camera
If your card contains photographs of the students, there are a number of ways that they can be obtained. Pictures taken in house can easily be taken with any digital camera that will create a .jpg image. Pictures taken from a standard digital camera can be saved onto the computer hard drive and can be manually imported into the correct badge prior to printing. Specialized cameras and software will automatically import the pictures onto the badge.
Supplies
The appropriate number of card printer ribbons and PVC cards can be obtained with your system to produce the number of identification cards needed. Various badge attachments are available to allow students and staff members to easily display their badges in a way useful to the school processes.
A company that specializes in identification card systems is able to provide system options that are available for specific school needs. Follow-up technical support and questions can be provided by the company’s technical staff.
With planning and assistance from your vendor, a student identification program can be an easy process and will provide numerous benefits to your school.
Nikki Stephens is the office manager and business development manager for Safe-Card ID Services, www.safecardid.com.
Product Roundup
ID Wholesaler
Printing your student and staff ID badges is easy with the Fargo DTC400 ID Card Printer. You can even use a school ID badge to track lunch accounts, library checkout, attendance and more – all on a single card – using the magnetic stripe encoding option. The DTC400 offers optional duplex printing, allowing you to print your photo ID on the front of the card and additional information on the back. Plus, it is easy to operate and virtually maintenance-free. Printing sharp, colorful school ID badges has never been easier.
www.IDWholesaler.com
IDville
Your one-stop shop for complete identification systems, IDville carries everything you need to create your own ID cards on site and do it right. With free technical support for the life of your purchase, IDville is a premier resource for identification of all kinds for schools across the country. From complete photo ID packages that have you up and printing in a matter of minutes, to customized lanyards and school signage, you can count on IDville to satisfy all of your identification needs. All photo ID systems include IDville's exclusive ID Maker 2.0.
www.idville.com
Digital Identification Solutions
The EDIsecure XID580ie printer from Digital Identification Solutions utilizes retransfer printing, often referred to as reverse image and high-definition printing, to print an image onto one or both sides of an ID card. Retransfer type printing is the preferred method for printing whenever electronics of any type are embedded into a card. Retransfer type card printing is almost always preferred when the card body is made of materials other than PVC.
www.digital-identification.com |
