ID Cards Getting Smarter

Aug 1, 2005 12:00 PM, By John Ekers

There is more and more technology going into a typical high school's ID card program. Functionality now can include physical access, logical access, identification, time and attendance, debit functions, access to tests and grades, even online testing — all in one card.

Systems to control access can be as simple as a single card reader at the main door, or as complex as the system found at some New York high schools. Here, permanent teachers carry bar-coded ID cards with fingerprints and photographs as mandated by law. Some schools have gone one step further for substitute and part-time teachers, requiring these teachers to carry a smart card containing a microprocessor chip embedded with encrypted security codes. A school's smart card program is tied into the criminal justice system to provide immediate notification of criminal violations as recent as the night before.

When the substitute teacher's card is scanned upon admittance to the school, information on the card is checked against information in the school's master database, and the teacher's ID is displayed on a PC against a color-coded background. A green background indicates the substitute has permission to enter the classroom. A yellow background signifies a warning — perhaps out-of-date information. If there is a problem with the teacher's credentials for that day, such as an arrest the previous evening, the screen turns red and flashes, immediately alerting administrators.

Reducing the need for cash on a high school campus has many rewards, from decreasing the opportunities for theft to maximizing revenues from vending machines that are no longer vandalized. After an increase in vending machine vandalism, Everglades High School in Miramar, Fla., began a journey toward becoming a cashless campus. Now students there use smart cards at vending machines, in the media center and to pay for certain student activities.

“Vandalism has become non-existent, despite the fact that vending machines stay unlocked outside all night,” says Fred Azrak, athletic director and overseer of Everglade's ID card program. “These machines use card readers instead of typical coin or dollar bill slots. Students know there is no money in them.”

“This is a unique solution for a high school,” says Alan Mendelson of Plasco, the Fargo systems integrator who worked with Everglades High School. “Many colleges and universities use smart cards for cashless transactions, but Everglades is one of the first high schools in the country with the foresight to create a cashless campus.”

An important consideration: Smart cards that contain computer chips or antennas often have uneven surfaces, so the chosen ID card printers should be able to accommodate irregular surfaces without damaging the card or distorting the image.

To protect against counterfeiting, inexpensive holographic seals can be used, and more sophisticated, custom-designed holographic overlaminates are available.

JOHN EKERS is product marketing manager of Fargo Electronics. For information, circle the Reader Service Card number below or visit securitysolutions.com.

Fargo

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