Starting in the 2023-24 school year, students at all Poudre School District schools will check out of the cafeteria line with a quick tap of a finger.
After a biometric scanning system reduced line wait times as part of a spring pilot program, PSD is installing the system in all schools. The system should be up and running first in all schools that participated in the spring pilot program (Dunn and Linton elementary schools, Kinard Middle School, and Rocky Mountain High School) and all elementary schools by about October. It will be installed in secondary schools thereafter.
Families have the option to opt their student out of using this system, and you can find more info about that below.
We know that anything having to do with biometrics prompt questions, so here’s what you need to know:
If meals are free this year, why do PSD students have to check out of cafeteria lines?
- PSD is participating in Colorado's Healthy School Meals for All program starting this school year. That means all PSD students can eat breakfast and lunch free of charge at school, regardless of their household income.
- Even though students don’t pay for meals, they need to stop at the register so PSD staff can verify that the items on their tray meet federal requirements for a balanced, nutritious meal. Every meal must be counted in order for PSD to receive state and federal funding.
- Although we can’t know for sure how many more students will eat meals at school now that they’re free, we are estimating that our Child Nutrition Department will serve about 1.2 million more this school year than last.
- Schools have limited time for breakfast and lunch and can’t flex too much without having to make school days longer. Rather than make a change like that, we are using technology to help us with speed. Enter the identiMetrics scanners.
Fast facts about PSD’s biometrics pilot program
- identiMetrics scanners will be placed next to the cafeteria’s current keyboards and will be integrated directly into PSD’s existing Point of Sale (POS) system.
- The use of scanners is intended to replace the current practice of keying in student ID numbers as students go through lunch lines. It takes about 2 seconds to scan a finger.
- This technology DOES NOT take or store a picture of users’ fingerprints. This is a finger scan, not a fingerprint.
- PSD does NOT have the ability or desire to store or recreate student fingerprints for any reason.
- The computer software develops a grid of intersection points from the swirls and arcs of the scanned finger, creates a template showing the finger’s unique points, and converts the template into a binary number that is encrypted and stored. iPhone users know what this is like.
- The data collected will be maintained locally by PSD and NONE of the information is sent out externally/to the internet or to any agency.
- The finger scanners will replace the current pin pads. Students opted out will give the cashier their student ID number for entry.
- Before installing this system in all schools, PSD staff tested it at Linton and Dunn elementary schools, Kinard Middle School, and Rocky Mountain High School in spring 2023. The system was found to be a more secure, accurate and convenient method of authentication. Meal-serving periods that used this technology were more consistent and faster than those using pin numbers.
Additional resources from the scanner manufacturer - more information about identiMetrics’ finger-scanning process:
- Check out identiMetrics’ biometric-scanning FAQs
- Watch the “How Biometrics Work" video
Opting out – an option for families
- There will be an enrollment period at each school. Parents/guardians will be notified when the period is open for their child’s school.
- Families have the option to opt their students out of participation at any time.
- The form will be available in the services tracker in ParentVUE, where other school and district forms are available.
- Those who need a paper copy of the form may call Child Nutrition at 970-490-3557 or email nutrition@psdschools.org.
- Child Nutrition staff will indicate in the system that the student has been opted out, and the student will continue to key in their student ID number in lunch lines.
- The scanners will NOT work for students who have been opted out.
Have questions? Please email info@psdschools.org.