Employee ID cards have become a fact of life for many workers – a permanent addition to work clothes or a uniform, ID badges help identify employees to customers, clients, and in larger offices, fellow employees. Multi-purpose ID cards with magnetic stripes or smart card functionality can also be used for access control, building security, parking, time and attendance, even meals in company cafeterias. ID badges are one of the cheapest and most effective forms of security for any business or organization – but widespread implementation has been a bit more difficult, due to the necessary development of a good ID card policy.

Take the Great Neck School District on Long Island in New York State. Administrators and public safety officials agree that education ID cards are an essential tool for school security, and should be worn by teachers, staff and students alike. This is a sentiment shared by educators around the world, but district administrators and members of the Board of Education are concerned that ID cards not accompanied by a solid ID card policy will be ineffective at best. Board of Education President Paula Berkowitz agrees that ID cards could be a valuable addition to schools – helping teachers in ever-growing schools recognize and get to know each other, help with attendance, and help identify students in emergencies. But, she says, developing a district-wide policy that fits every school and student is more difficult than it seems. Building design, staff size, budget, and security needs all should be considered and weighed, and developing a comprehensive and effective policy for ID card production and use is the best way to ensure that ID cards work when they’re most needed – in an emergency.