RFID in School Administration

Since the adaptation of more stringent reporting requirements such as GASB 34, one of the more time-consuming tasks for school and district administrators has been maintaining accurate asset registers. Unfortunately, studies have shown that as much as 50 percent of an organization’s listed assets are no longer in use, are missing or are so poorly identified that they may not be locatable. These issues can lead to difficulties in planning asset maintenance, replacement and even with insurance coverage in the event of a fire or other disaster.  

Two important steps that districts can take to remedy these problems are:

1)    Institute a dedicated fixed asset management program

2)    Incorporate asset tracking technology, like RFID

The first step provides greater overall fiscal management and responsibility, with streamlined and consolidated control features, while the second ensures reliable asset location monitoring. The return on investment resulting from decreased staff time, reduced asset loss and lessened insurance premiums generally covers the implementation costs for both technologies within a year or two. The benefits also extend to enhanced fiscal reporting, which allows for greater accountability up the administrative chain of command.