How To Confront Parental Concerns Of A Student Tracking Device

Student GPS tracking has been a topic of hot debate amongst parents. While certain myths about student tracking have been spread around, the benefits of this added safety feature to school bus routing software have proven to be far more powerful than the misinformation. 

Although student tracking is growing in acceptance, there are many parents who don’t yet fully understand the benefits. The following five talking points should help you address parental concerns and demonstrate how student tracking software improves student safety. 

Talking Point #1: Student Tracking Simplifies Transportation Activity For Parents

Modern day life, for both kids and parents, is busier than ever. Parents have demanding jobs and hectic schedules. Some single parents are juggling work and raising children all on their own. Kids are involved in more activities and their daily bus schedules often change throughout the week to accommodate an afterschool practice or a study group session. 

A student tracking system actually works to simplify all of the above: 

Student tracking is multi-functional.

Student tracking software features a low-cost ID card that is linked to readers found throughout the school building, which extends the functionality beyond bus travel. The ID cards can be used for library access and book checkouts, payment for breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria (easily add funds for food stipend online), computer lab checkouts of tech hardware and Internet access. 

With a student tracking software system, parents don’t have a stack of cards to send with their child – everything is tied to the same ID card. 

Student tracking improves communication with parents.

The right student tracking software eliminates ill communication, so parents are working off accurate information when it comes to their kids’ whereabouts: 

• There are parental alerts for when a kid gets off at the wrong bus stop.
• In the event a student falls asleep on the bus and misses their stop, parents can check to see the last place their child’s ID card was scanned.
• If there is a bus accident, the student GPS system only relays this information to the parents with children on that bus, and not the parents of the entire student body. 

With student tracking, parents’ lives are simplified. They are also given peace of mind that any time they need to know where their kids are, they may check the online application to find accurate, real-time information – and then take the appropriate course of action instead of reacting in a fit of frenzy. 

Talking Point #2: Student Tracking Is A Great Tool For Emergency Purposes

Unfortunately, we live in a world where a school shooting or other similar emergency crops up on the news all too frequently. There are also accidents, such as fires, that may turn into a need for a school-wide evacuation. 

When student-tracking readers are installed in classrooms, the school may use the system for evacuation and emergency purposes. School administrators and parents will know when each room has been cleared or may be cleared by first responders. If any student is missing, the system determines where he or she was last scanned. 

For example, in the case of a fire, a young child could be stuck hiding in a closet. The student tracking system easily tracks where the child was last located so he or she could be found quickly. If buses are loaded with students to take them to a safe location, the bus tracking software works with the student GPS tracking software to let parents know exactly where to pick up their kids. 

Talking Point #3: Student Tracking Solves Attendance And Truancy Problems

Student tracking software’s effectiveness at improving attendance and eliminating truancy issues is documented across many studies and articles. While it wouldn’t make sense to implement this system solely for the purpose of tracking truant students, it is a valuable additional benefit. 

When student tracking ID card readers are located throughout the school, a student can’t just go to homeroom and then leave to skip school for the day. The readers may be placed in each classroom and hallways (and even doors students are prone to use for skipping out), and alert the school about a student’s attendance in each place he or she should or shouldn’t be throughout the day. 

Talking Point #4: Student Tracking Helps With Special Needs Children

Student tracking provides peace of mind, particularly for parents of special needs children who have more safety concerns. Losing track of any child is a terrible situation for a parent, but even more so when the situation involves a child with special needs. 

Student tracking is also beneficial for ridership tracking purposes. Because Medicare reimburses transportation costs for special needs children, school districts have to take attendance on the bus for reimbursement. With student tracking, this is an automated process that ensures accuracy and maximum reimbursements. 

Talking Point #5: Student Tracking Helps Deal With Custody Concerns

Student tracking is helpful for parents to look up which bus their kid is on so they know exactly what stop their child is getting off at that day. This eliminates the confusion of which parent is responsible for the child that day. For parents dealing with custody disputes, it brings another level of assurance for certain sensitive situations. For example, if one parent is not allowed to see the child, this may be added as an alert so the school district is aware. 

With the right student GPS tracking software system, you are able to offer functionality that parents actually love – they just need to hear about these benefits and even experience them firsthand. Once they understand that tracking is used for safety and accurate communication (and not to Big Brother their children), parents are far more accepting. 

Ready to learn more about the capabilities and benefits of student tracking software? Click below to register for our free webinar on February 24, 7.5 Secrets To Streamline Your School Bus Route Planning.