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Texas School District Purchases Biometric Scanning Technology

Schools in San Benito will have workers clock in with a fingerprint, but the technology also could be used for attendance and other tracking purposes.

(TNS) — SAN BENITO — The school district is taking another step ahead in high tech.

Beginning this school year, hourly paid employees in the district will start clocking into work with a fingerprint.

The district is hoping to have its biometric finger scanning software up and running on every campus and work site by October.

The school board has approved the purchase of identiMetrics for $179,413.

According to identiMetrics’ website, this biometric scanning technology “is the easiest way to identify students and staff in any Kindergarten through 12th grade situation when accuracy, accountability and security are critical.”

Superintendent Nate Carman said this biometric finger scanning technology “should be quicker, much more efficient and will verify that the correct person is clocking in.”

“We looked for a system whether it was biometric or otherwise to feed into our payroll system so we could cut back on the paperwork and be more efficient,” Carman said.

“Using this type of clocking in and out will eliminate some paper and it will eliminate supervisors having to go manually approve overtime.”

The school district’s plan is to use this biometric finger scanning software only for its hourly paid employees. That means teachers won’t be using it. However, the biometric program has a variety of uses schools can utilize.

With this scanning technology, schools are “able track daily and tardy attendance, identification to food service point of sale for breakfast and lunch programs, library check-outs, employee time clock and safe entrance to dances and athletic events.”

Anne Marie Dunphy, identiMetrics’ chief financial officer and co-founder, said there are 15 school districts and charter schools in the Valley that use identiMetrics.

Carman said he thinks there is a desire to have an efficient method for people to clock in and out.

“Using a paper and pencil or having people sign in takes a little bit versus walking up to a screen and touching your thumb to it,” Carman said. “You’re in and you move on. So, it makes it efficient.”

©2018 The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.