June 1, 2023 – They’re smarter, they’re faster, and they’re more secure.
New smart student ID cards – scheduled to be distributed to all students next school year – will have upgraded technology similar to what is used in hotel keys. This includes a chip embedded with a secure serial number.
It’s an enhancement from the old student ID cards which used bar code scanner technology, said Jim Culbert, Chief of Technology for Duval County Public Schools.
“The new smart student ID cards are a much safer and more secure system that allows students to perform the same functions much faster,” said Culbert.
These functions include purchasing lunch or checking out a library book. Additionally, the new student IDs will be used in a new bus boarding procedure that the district plans to implement in 2024 to improve student safety during transportation to and from school.
Culbert says while these cards have superior technology to the old student IDs, they do not have any tracking capabilities.
“There is no monitoring or tracking ability with this technology,” said Culbert. “Rather, it can allow for a quicker “check-in” type procedure when the card is placed against a reader, identical to how a hotel key works.”
Students have been asked to return their old student ID cards before school ends as the district prepares to distribute the new student ID cards at the start of the new school year.
