Friday, March 24, 2006
The school board doesn't want to hire people to run the ID system.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- The board of education has shelved the idea of a pupil identification card system because of the expense, at least for now, the schools superintendent says.
The board starting discussing the use of a pupil ID system last year to encourage participation in the district's free and reduced-price lunch program.
Some pupils don't participate in this lunch program because they are embarrassed about being singled out.
Advocates of using a swipe-card system have argued the card would eliminate the reluctance by pupils to get a free or reduced lunch -- because all pupils eating lunch would use the same card.
Opponents argued that using a partial fingerprint on the card could lead to invasion of the pupils' privacy.
Schools Superintendent Rocco Adduci said Thursday that a card system using a personal identification number would cost "well over" $55,000.
Here's the concern
In addition, a new employee would have to be hired at each building to make the cards, replace them when lost, collect money from each student, keep track of each pupil's financial account with the school district and input information into computers.
Even if done only at the high school, the cards alone would cost $16,000 in addition to hiring a person to be in charge of the system, Adduci said.
The superintendent said the school board doesn't want to spend the money for new hires.
Rather, Adduci explained, the board wants to wait for the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission to determine if it will pay a portion of the cost for the ID system.
The superintendent said the state can pay up to 68 percent of the cost.
The board plans to place a bond issue on the November general election ballot to raise 40 percent of the cost to build three new schools. The state would pick up 60 percent of the cost.
yovich@vindy.com