Safer Students, More Secure Schools Within Reach With New Subsidy From ScholarChip, Zebra Technologies, ARMET Group

NEW YORK, NY --(Marketwired - April 05, 2016) - ScholarChip®, an education market leader along with Zebra Technologies Corporation and the ARMET Group, today announced the Affordable Smart Card ID Initiative, a cutting-edge subsidy program that will enable more qualifying school districts to implement ultra-secure smart ID card systems for students and staff. Smart cards fulfill an immediate security need for districts and are a straightforward path to advanced student and campus safety solutions. 

The subsidy is provided when purchasing a Starter Kit that includes everything a school district needs to implement, or upgrade to, a Smart ID Card Solution. The kit contains ScholarChip's school-centric One Card ID Manager software, a cloud-based, easy-to-use Smart ID card issuance system with 1000 free contactless Smart ID Cards and Zebra's ZXP Series 3 card printer and encoder. ARMET, a national association of solution providers, will represent the program and provide installation, integration, sales, training and service of the software and hardware.

"Every child in America deserves a safe school environment, and we are creating this initiative so that every student has the chance to be safe, especially those in underfunded school districts," said Maged Atiya, PhD, ScholarChip CEO/CTO. "Our group of companies is offering this subsidy so that K12 schools can introduce or upgrade to proven Smart ID card technology easily and cost effectively."

Subsidized pricing for the Starter Kit is based on spending per student and free and reduced lunch ratios. The subsidy is available to districts that have no ID card systems in place; those that want to improve their card printer hardware; or those that want to upgrade their existing ID system from plain plastic or swipe cards to new Smart ID Card technology.

The subsidy application and more information can be found at www.smartcardsforschools.com.

"In today's environment, it is imperative for educational institutions to have visibility that will increase the safety and security of students and staff," said Ram Ramaprasad, director of product management for Card Printing Solutions at Zebra Technologies. "With this smart card-based solution and initiative, we are helping to make it easier and less expensive for schools to protect their students and personnel and allow only authorized people into their facilities."

Smart ID Card systems are an important step to ensuring school security. The National Crime Prevention Council states, "An identification card system…deters individuals with no legitimate business in the school from attempting to enter the building and reduces opportunities for on-campus crimes, violence, and drug dealing by unauthorized outsiders."

"A safe environment is key to learning, growing, and productivity. Knowing who is on campus and why helps administrators provide the safety and security students deserve and rely on to thrive. Visual identification is the first step in a comprehensive access control and identification management system," said Mike Bridges, CEO and Chairman of the ARMET Group.

SCHOLARCHIP ONE CARD ID MANAGER
ScholarChip's One Card ID Manager software manages the process that keeps schools secure while keeping students safe. Starting with a photograph of an individual in a school Student Information System (SIS), the system encodes a globally unique ID to that person and prints a Smart ID Card. ScholarChip uses the tightest international security standards (PCI, FISMA, SSAE16), which are the same that banks, credit card companies, and other financial companies use. Individual information is secure; these cards are almost impossible to replicate.

The ScholarChip One Card can integrate with modern and legacy school systems and easily connects to a host of services like automated attendance; cafeteria purchases; free and reduced lunch program tracking; library checkouts; bus monitoring; staff time clocks; and other reportable activities throughout the campus. Also, in the case of emergency or lockdown situations, ScholarChip's One Card ID system provides administrators and police with actionable safety information and greater control over the entire campus.

About ScholarChip
ScholarChip has pioneered the concept of a centralized and integrated School Safety and Operations System-a true academic one card solution. To meet the growing need for mobile technology in schools, ScholarChip has developed Apps and Smart ID cards that operate seamlessly with NFC mobile devices. In addition, ScholarChip's Higher Education services extend to high performance Tuition Payment Plans, Loan Servicing and a compliant Payment Gateway. For more information visit http://www.scholarchip.com.

About Zebra Technologies
Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) makes businesses as smart and connected as the world we live in. Zebra tracking and visibility solutions transform the physical to digital, creating the data streams enterprises need to simplify operations, know more about their businesses, and empower their mobile workforces. For more information, visit www.zebra.com.

About ARMET Group
The ARMET Group provides a nationwide channel of comprehensive solution providers and integrators that represent ScholarChip and Zebra Technologies in the marketplace. The ARMET Group provides sales, support, integration and training for end users for a select line of identification management solutions, software and hardware.

ScholarChip is a registered trademark of ScholarChip. Other product and company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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