The program, which was launched at Norfolk Highlands Primary, was intended as a way for the transportation department to better track students as they got on and off buses.
“The pilot has been very successful,” Director of Transportation David Benson told the School Board last month.
Benson said the ridership information provided by the badges is an “additional safety measure” that allows the school division to know when and where students enter and exit a bus.
Benson said the IDs have “dual capability,” with RFID codes that are swiped on the buses, and barcodes that can be used for other purposes. RFID, or Radio Frequency Identification, codes are used with specialized readers that have been installed on the school’s buses. The barcodes were used in the library to check out books, in the cafeteria to purchase meals and by the administration to capture tardiness information.
The program will be rolled out to all 28 elementary schools in the upcoming school year, and expanded to secondary schools in the 2024-2025 school year. Student photos will be on the badges.
GiGi Badawi, the division’s assistant director of technology and integration, said all schools will be provided with a card printer so they can print replacements if necessary.
Badawi said the division is exploring potential future uses, including to track attendance and control access to school buildings.
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