All San Angelo ISD Students Will Now be Tracked

SAN ANGELO, TX – San Angelo ISD will be implementing the SMART tag™ system to improve safety, security, visibility and communication beginning with the 2023-2024 school year. Every San Angelo ISD student will receive a SMART tag™ card. Students will use the SMART tag™ cards to ride the bus, as student ID cards, in the lunch line, and to check out library books. 

SMART tag™ use in bus transportation is designed to ensure authorized ridership and provides live monitoring of students loading and unloading off of their school bus to keep parents, transportation, and administrators informed. 

How SMART tag™ Works

SMART tag™ ID cards contain an RFID chip in each card. When a student attempts to get on a bus, they scan their  SMART tag™ ID card with an SMART tag™ RFID reader that is installed on the bus. The SMART tag™ reader confirms if the student is boarding the right bus. The student then scans their SMART tag™ ID card upon exiting the bus. Information gathered by the SMART tag™ reader is gathered and stored in real time using secured, cloud technology. 

NOTE: A SMART tag™ card will be required to ride a school bus. Students will receive their first SMART tag™ at no charge. Students who lose their SMART tag™ card will be able to purchase a new one at their campus for $5 each.

Other Uses for SMART tag™

Every San Angelo ISD student will receive a SMART tag™ card, even if they do not ride the bus. Students will also use the SMART tag™ cards: 

• as student ID cards, 
• in the lunch line, and 
• to check out library books. 

IMPORTANT - The SMART tag™ system does not track your child to any locations other than while on the school buses. The only time the RFID card location can be recorded is when the card comes in contact with the corresponding device that is physically located on the bus. Parents do not need to be concerned that their child is being tracked other than on the buses because the system does not have the capability to do anything else.  

When Students Will Receive their SMART tag™ Cards

All San Angelo ISD students can pick up their SMART tag™ card at their campus back-to-school event. 

• Elementary school students can pick up their SMART tag™ card at their campus’s “Meet the Teacher” event.
• Middle school and high school students can pick up their SMART tag™ card at their campus’s “Schedule Pick-Up and Form Verification” event.

NOTE: If your student is not able to attend their campus back-to-school event, they will need to pick up their SMART tag™ card at their campus during regular business hours between August 14th - 16th.   

Information about “Meet the Teacher” and “Schedule Pick-Up and Form Verification” events and times will be released this week. To stay up-to-date on San Angelo ISD, please visit the SAISD website at www.saisd.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.