Beginning Sept. 2, New Caney ISD students must carry an ID tag, which includes tracking technology for parents, to ride district buses home after school.

What parents need to know

SMART tag IDs were issued to all NCISD students for the 2025-26 school year, which began Aug. 6, at no cost, according to a news release from the district. The tags are paired to an app that parents can download and allows users to:

• See live updates on their child’s location
• Provides confirmation for when a student has entered or exited a bus
• Receive bus arrival notifications

The SMART tag ID system also prevents unauthorized riders from boarding NCISD buses, according to the release. Students can board morning buses without SMART tags but cannot ride home on a bus without one.

What else?

On July 21, NCISD’s board of trustees approved a new student code of conduct for the 2025-26 school year, which includes updated policies on the district’s smart tags.

SMART tags cost $2 to replace or $5 for three cards.