Philadelphia to make digital hall pass and student tracking system available at all schools

The Philadelphia school district is rolling out a digital hall pass and student tracking system at all schools for the 2026-27 academic year. This system, built on the Infinite Campus platform already in use for course materials, allows administrators to log students' movements throughout the school via their Chromebooks. Once a teacher approves a student's request to leave the classroom, the student's journey is recorded on a "hall monitor grid" visible to school administrators and climate staff.

The system permits staff to digitally deny access to certain areas of the campus for safety reasons or staffing issues.

District officials aim to use this technology to prevent physical violence between students. Between 2021 and 2025, an average of about 550 incidents per year required police response to a public school campus assault, according to data from the city police department. Jade McCray, an assistant principal at Abraham Lincoln High School, believes the system can help keep students apart who are in conflict, stating, "If we know a situation is brewing, it's probably not the best idea for them to be in the halls to possibly run into each other at the same time."

However, concerns have been raised about over-surveillance and potential distractions. Nicole Hunt, president of Local 634, the union representing Philadelphia school climate staff, worries that the new technology may hinder staff focused on student safety. She questions how staff can effectively monitor for potential fights when they are busy watching students' movements on tablets.

The system is not mandatory, but schools will need time to train on using this tool. The district's Youth Violence Reduction Initiative will also expand to William L. Sayre High School in the 2026-27 school year, providing calm spaces and mentorship to students at the highest risk of engaging in violence. Additionally, the Handle With Care program, which alerts schools when a child witnesses neighborhood trauma, will expand districtwide, and the Safe Path program, placing trained adults at school perimeters to deescalate fights, will return to 25 campuses. All school safety officers will also wear ballistic vests for the first time.