Superintendent previews student bus card scans to let parents track rides; board later praises agreement

Superintendent Dr. Bennett told the DeSoto County School Board that the district plans to implement a student bus card system that students will scan when boarding and leaving buses so parents can monitor rides.

“When they get on the bus, mom and dad will be able to track it. We'll know when they're on the bus. We'll know when they come off the bus,” Dr. Bennett said, describing the swipe-card system and saying it will “100% prevent” a child being left unnoticed on a bus, as he put it. He credited Charlie Payne and transportation staff for vetting the program.

Dr. Bennett said he believed the item was on the agenda as item 13.08 and that the board would be voting on it that night. The transcript later records board members saying they were “very, very pleased with the where's the bus agreement,” but it does not include the specific motion text, a recorded vote tally, or an explicit statement that the board approved the item during this meeting.

What was described: a card students scan on and off the bus; parental tracking via the system; the system is intended to prevent a child from being left on a bus.

What was not specified in the transcript: vendor name, contract terms, cost, data privacy details, start date, or whether a formal purchase or contract award was approved at this meeting.

Why it matters: The district framed the program as a safety and family-communication measure intended to reduce the risk of a child being missed at drop-off or pickup.

Next steps: The transcript does not show a formal board action on 13.08; staff or the board would need to provide the contract/vendor and any data-privacy or cost details before implementation.