How the right ID card solution can help schools solve security challenges

Now more than ever schools nationwide need to rewrite the lesson plan when it comes to securing their facility. Knowing who is entering your facility day or night is crucial to mitigating the risk of an incident taking place on your campus.   With a main goal of reducing risk exposure, schools are quickly learning that the best way to prevent an emergency event from happening is controlling access.  A truly secure campus has implemented an ID Card system that helps keeps the wrong people out and grants access to the students and staff that belong there.  Yet…there are so many educational facilities out there that still have not invested in an ID Card solution.  Administrators are faced with a myriad of security challenges daily that can be easily solved with the right ID card and printer. As the summer break approaches, now is the time to consider how to make your campus more secure for your students’ return in the fall.  Here are some ways that ID Card Solutions can help solve these security challenges for schools:

1. Controlling Access During School Hours & After Hours

Whether you are trying to secure a higher education campus or K-12 facility; one common thread is the need for constant security.  Not every staff member or student should be granted access to certain locations of a school building. A person with malicious intentions might want to go into a room where they don’t belong. Having an ID card solution in place would prevent the individual from entering the area without the proper credentials.  If a school has each student wearing an ID badge with their name and picture printed on it; then an individual can be identified and the situation can be rectified quickly.  With so many events taking place after hours on school grounds, having a reliable ID card system in place can help keep people safe day or night.   

2. Tracking Occupancy

Today’s schools must have a way to know who and how many people have accessed their facility.  This information is not only vital to have in real-time for mustering purposes, but also when it comes to adhering to COVID-19 safety guidelines. Tracking which students entered the campus and how many helps if there is an active shooter incident or emergency situation on campus. It can also help with social distancing to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

3. Identifying Staff Members

A great way to identify staff members quickly is to use oversized badges for all teachers, visitors and administrators.  You can never be too safe and being able to distinguish staff members, visitors, and contractors with an oversized ID badge is an easy way for schools to boost their odds against unauthorized access.  Oversized badges are typically 42% larger than the standard credit card size. By wearing an oversized ID badge, an individual will stand out from the crowd and can be easily recognized. In addition, it’s a great way to easily recognize staff members by seeing a photo of their face on an ID Badge.  Schools can invest in oversized card printers and cards to print all badges internally to implement this type of ID card solution.

4. Inactive Personnel

Deactivating badges is crucial for school safety. Having the right ID Card solution can help schools deactivate badges quickly for all inactive personnel. A recently fired disgruntled employee can quickly be removed from the database and no longer granted access to the school. In addition, school visitors can be granted access for a particular day and then deactivated for future visits.  This allows each school to customize the solution to meet their needs and keep unauthorized individuals off of school grounds.

Schools Need An Education on ID Cards

Finding the right ID Card solution is the answer to solving these ongoing security challenges that are facing schools nationwide. While most schools use ID cards as a form of identification, ID badges can also be used for everything ranging from attendance tracking and meal plans to library and computer use. With a wide array of ID card printers out there and all different types of ID cards ranging from smart card to proximity card technology; schools need to educate themselves on what types are right for them.  As we move forward, we will see more and more schools start to incorporate these types of technologies into their lesson plans to create a more secure environment for all.