All too often, school districts are making knee-jerk investments toward technology without understanding a clear notion of how the technology can empower a students behavior and enrich their ability to learn. Traditional methods are no longer effective, for example, tracking attendance through pen and paper. It lacks the proactive approach to creating a more effective and efficient system for schools, leaving administrators open to human error. One solution that could increase attendance and the student’s ability to learn is by utilizing modern technology services. Technology services can aid in a more structured approach to everyday duties, and student’s will be able to spend more time focusing on their education. Another point to make is that smart technology services can also help toward campus safety, providing better attendance management and improving student behavior. But how come every school isn’t utilizing these services? A lot of schools, believe it or not, are not aware of these services and feel the cost might be high. Although cost should be considered, the effects from utilizing specific technology for your campus outweighs the cost for a multitude of reasons which we will go into further as we read on. While many schools may use one tool, here and there to solve a current issue, there are a few service providers that provide an all-in-one solution to multiple school needs.
The U.S. Department of Education recommends implementing structures that help schools streamline data collection and reporting processes. But that is only scratching the surface. With smart technology services are at play, a school’s performance will increase, dramatically. Proper identity management, smart attendance tracking, visitor management screening, behavior management, and building access are processes that help such issues that require a lot of work manually. So let’s dive into these services and benefits a little deeper.
Identity Management & Attendance
Upgraded security measures are becoming more widespread among American high schools, and that’s a move in the right direction. There is good news from the National Center for Education Statistics about reduced numbers of students fearing attacks at school, and fewer students experiencing bullying. This does not imply that majority of schools across the nation still do not face identity issues surrounding attendance, but strengthening your data collection techniques will help you find pockets of information that could be utilized to create the ideal school climate where students, parents, and staff grow to appreciate. Students who feel safe at school will perform better and engage more within campus activity.
One foundational tool that help strengthen a campus is an Identity Management Platform. Smart ID Cards are are a critical data collection device that help measure what the school district is focusing on. This type of system leverages student, faculty, and other stakeholder data to manage school access and track attendance as well. Traditional methods surrounding attendance tracking was with pen and paper. By providing Smart ID Cards to students and staff within your campus, you are now able to track attendance with the wave of a card, saving a bunch of time that can be spent elsewhere.
Removing this burden from a teachers’ shoulders restores more instructional time to the classroom and eliminates human error from attendance reporting. A student’s record can be retrieved by authorized staff members, and the record can follow the student. Our overall goal is to improve school security and student performance. These concerns are not achieved within the night, but utilizing an identity management platform and tracking dedicated attendance, you will come one step closer to your goal.
Visitor Screening Systems
Roughly 71% of students are at risk for child abduction on school days. Majority of incidents occur before school (7-9am) and after school (3-4pm). A form of security, which falls under the category of proactive measures to reduce student abductions is a Visitor Management System. This system helps school campuses take preemptive measures in new visitor screening. General screening measures include solutions such as metal detectors within campus grounds. This only helps in identifying a threat that is armed, by utilizing smart technology, you will be able to rest better knowing the visitors entering your campus is not a threat.
A visitor management system aids in screening outside visitors for potential red flags. It’s hard to assume who is a potential threat to your school if you are limited on resources, creating more work on the staff side to make accurate decisions. So once the visitor scans their driver’s license or identification card, the software will match with a registered sex offender database. This makes your job in screening a breeze in the park. Efficiency with the correct data will only benefit your team’s workflow and overall student safety.
Alternative Behavior Educator Programs
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has studied and reported on the growing demand for mental and behavioral health services in communities and schools across the country. A student’s developmental, behavioral, and emotional issue can have a catastrophic effect on their school experience or the other way around if they do not receive sufficient treatment and support. Unfortunately, school counselors, administrators, and psychologists carry heavy caseloads and struggle to meet many students’ needs due to lack of time within the workday, for example. When teachers and counselors have to serve the diverse needs of multiple students, someone is bound to fall through the cracks.
Behavior Management Systems are a smart option for schools that are overloaded with student behavior issues and referral paperwork. Augmenting behavior management support and interventions with ABE helps school leadership address behavior problems in a timely manner. Sending real-time alerts to a student’s counselor keeps them informed of their students’ behavior problems and educational support needs. Administrators can also run reports to identify and address students with excessive absences, tardies, and referrals.
Alternative Behavior Educators are a more long-term and are a proactive vs indirect solution for the majority of students who tend to commit frequent minor infractions. Online learning modules can help coach students to make better decisions, be more productive community members, and become successful students. But more immediate and in-depth mental health services and behavior management needs can also be identified and implemented through electronic referrals and basic interventions. Schools can monitor and track all this and much more with smart technology services throughout a student’s career.
Need Smart Technology Services? ScholarChip Can Help.
School security and efficiency are two big components to creating the safe climate you need for students, parents, and faculty. Consider utilizing smart technology services such as ScholarChip and gain a better grip on your campus.
Consider how an Identity Management Platform and Alternative Behavior Educator system could improve attitudes and outcomes at your own school. Are your counselors and administrators stretched thin by their behavior interventions and referral paperwork? Are there more productive ways you wish to utilize their time and talents? Smart technology can help you regain some control over student referrals and get your talented staff back to more effective and impactful aspects of their jobs.
ScholarChip is an all-in-one, platform solution to help reduce school threats and address the important issues surrounding school safety and efficiency. Data from students, faculty, and stakeholder are leveraged to manage school access, attendance, and behavior management through the platform tools to increase safety and promote the campus climate schools are looking for.
If you are curious to learn more about how to utilize smart technology to improve efficiency at your school, contact ScholarChip for a 1-on-1 walkthrough today!
