BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Broken Arrow Public Schools is piloting a program that uses RFID cards to track students as they get on and off school buses, giving parents real-time updates through a connected app.
The cards are clipped to students’ backpacks and scanned at the bus door when a student boards or exits.
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Megan Smith, a parent whose children ride the bus, said the system has made a significant difference in her daily routine.
“I’m a single mom, so the system is kind of a lifesaver for me. They get themselves on the bus every morning.”
Smith said she then uses the app to follow her kids’ route to and from school.
“So, it’s nice to be able to see when they get on the bus and the route that they take to school and exactly when they’re dropped off at school so that I don’t have to worry about how they’ve got here,” she said.
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After school, she watches her son’s bus route in real time to judge when to meet her children at the bus stop.
Cecil Rhoades Elementary Principal Nathan Akehurst volunteered his school to help test the app.
He said the main challenge for parents so far has been timing.
“The parents learning how to read the app because sometimes they’re looking at the card reader app too early before the bus has even come and picked up their child,” he said.
For the students, the experience is straightforward.
“It’s just fun to scan,” student Quinton Smith said.
The pilot project began at Cecil Rhoades Elementary and has since expanded to 5 schools across the district.
- Aspen Creek Elementary
- Country Lane Intermediate
- Country Lane Primary
- Creekwood Elementary
- Wolf Creek Elementary
More schools are expected to be added throughout the year.
The purchase of the RFID system was made possible through the district’s 2015 and 2023 bond issues. RFID card reader kits cost approximately $215 per bus, while tablets and accompanying kits cost approximately $1,600 per bus. According to BAPS Director of Communications, Christina Dixon, those costs do not include installation, cellular service or student RFID cards.
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