With budgets tighter than ever, more and more schools are saving money by using a single photo ID card across a multitude of applications. A single student ID card can serve not only as a form of identification, but can also be used for applications such as school food service account management, access to computers and other technology, access control to athletic facilities, and student activity attendance tracking.

With an onsite ID system student, faculty, staff and visitor IDs can be produced on-demand using a photo ID card printer, with very little wait time. Students can have their photos taken and receive their printed ID cards within minutes—without involving an outside vendor and the time and cost involved in dealing with one.

Keep in mind that photo ID cards help visually identify students, staff and visitors at a glance. There are countless techniques for adding visual verification and security to your school photo ID cards. A basic level of security can be incorporated onto your cards simply within its design which has no added cost to the printed card itself. Rather than a photo on a plain white background, which is easy for anyone with a computer to replicate fraudulently, consider using custom imagery or photographs on your cards. To easily distinguish between students, faculty and other staff, incorporate a color-coding system into your card design. Additionally, design your visitor badges with an entirely different look so that visitor status is evident from a distance. For additional security be sure to use self expiring visitor badges so that they can’t be reused after the allotted day they were issues.

Your school ID cards call also be extension of your school’s image. An attractive, professionally designed card will convey the right message about your school, students and staff. Plus, a photo ID card that is well-designed is more likely to be worn, helping you to ensure the effectiveness of your school ID program.

Photo ID cards can also help manage your school lunch program and library check-out system with a printed barcode or encoded magnetic stripe.Across the country, most schools have already implemented more efficient food service programs and library accounts creating demand for student cards that track account balance or even store cash value. Any form of readable technology on student ID cards allow schools to store student information such as class schedules, emergency contact information, medications or allergies, and even lunch account balances.

Many schools also need the ability to retrieve transaction data reports. Two popular examples include tracking student attendance or an automated lunch program which allow you to compile and retrieve data for state reporting purposes or a parent’s inquiry into their child’s lunch account. Automating these functions, rather than compiling manually, saves your school labor costs.

Educational institutions around the world use Advantidge to produce multipurpose photo ID cards for students, faculty and staff for a fraction of what they used to pay for instant film-based cards. Our systems allow you to produce a durable, attractive ID card in just a few minutes with your choice of full-color photos, logos, text, bar codes, magnetic stripes, smart card chips, clear or holographic topcoats, digitized signatures and more.

Advantidge employs the latest digital technology so there’s no cutting, pasting or laminating your school ID cards which saves time and money. And the images you capture can be used to create a powerful image database, which can be used to print student rosters, create ID verification systems and more. Because Advantidge offers a full range of machine-readable technologies, your cards can be compatible with automated systems in libraries, dorms, cafeterias, vending areas and more. Advantidge ID Systems are ideal for:

• Student, faculty and staff photo ID badges
• Auto expiring school visitor ID badges
• Controlled access on your entire campus
• Registration processes/recordkeeping
• Meal programs — bar codes keep individual students’ lunch plans confidential from other students
• Library/bookstore use — quick check-out using student IDs
• Equipment check-out — physical education or extracurricular activity equipment usage tracked
• Activity passes — print fun, colorful tickets for plays, dances and sporting events
• Fundraising activities — print coupons for use at participating area merchants
• Vending machine purchases — Store cash on magnetic stripe cards
• ATM cards — link student ID card to area bank ATM machines

Automated Lunch and Cafeteria Programs. There are a variety of cafeteria point-of-sale applications on the market, most of which use a card with either a barcode or magnetic stripe to connect the individual student to their account. Barcodes can store information such as a student’s lunch account number, which is debited on the back end when a lunch is purchased. A magnetic stripe reader such as a scanner or swiper is used with a magnetic stripe card, and can store value, just as a gift card does. In addition to lunch account management, a magnetic stripe can be used for entrance to school activities, vending machine purchases and activities fee payments.

Controlling Access to your School Campus. Another key component is to create a safe school by controlling who’s in it. Using proximity card or smart card technology, your photo ID cards can control access to your building or even specific areas in your building. An access control system will allow you to control who enters your facility—not only during school hours, but at all times of the day such as when a teacher is alone in the building working late. An automated system provides records of exactly who is in your facility and when they’re in it.

To learn more about our bundled solutions for elementary, middle school and high schools please click on the following link:

» ID Systems