The Duval County School Board is considering ID badges that would electronically keep tabs on students’ locations.
Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti pitched the BadgePass system from Dowling-Douglas Company to the board at a workshop on Tuesday.
“I think it’s not necessarily electronically tracked like you would think, initially,” said Dowling-Douglas company sales manager John Pecnik.
Students across Duval County would get BadgePass student IDs, which they would swipe when they get on their school buses and in their classrooms.
Parents would be notified if their child is not where they’re supposed to be.
“It’s not a ‘big brother.’ It’s an opportunity for us to make certain that students are safe all the time and it would eliminate the possibility of students getting on the wrong bus and getting lost,” said school board member Paula Wright.
Right now, 49 Duval County Schools already use Dowling-Douglas student IDs.
Over the past five years, it’s cost $2.7 million.
Vitti said going district-wide would save $1 million over the next five years.
“As part of a centralized purchase, they’re able to reduce their costs,” said Pecnik.
The school board will vote on the proposal on March 7.
The new badges could be in students’ hands by the start of next school year.
Cox Media Group
