Sachse families with children at Armstrong Elementary or B.G. Hudson Middle School will need to make sure their kids have a student ID badge clipped on before walking through the doors on Monday, August 10, the first day of the 2026-27 school year.

Garland ISD announced Tuesday, July 28, that all students in grades Pre-K through 12 must wear an ID badge on campus at all times. The requirement expands a policy that previously applied only to older students, and it takes effect district-wide on the first day of school.

The district first flagged the change on its official X account on April 6, but the July 28 reminder gave the policy fresh urgency with less than two weeks before classes begin.

What the policy requires

Students must wear their badge throughout the school day and scan it when boarding or exiting any school bus, including for field trips, according to notices posted on the Armstrong Elementary and Hudson Middle School websites.

Garland ISD has not yet specified what happens if a student forgets or loses a badge. The Armstrong campus notice states that badge distribution details will be communicated through each campus before the first day of school.

What Sachse parents need to do before August 10

Beyond the badge itself, the district's back-to-school page lists several items families should complete before the first bell:

  • Student Information Update Forms — complete in Skyward Family Access
  • Immunization records — submit to the school before the first day
  • ParentSquare registration — download the app and register for official district communications
  • School supplies — generic and campus-specific lists are available on the district's back-to-school page

Families with bus-route questions can call the Garland ISD Transportation Call Center at 972-494-8530. The center is open Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Friday, August 28.

Plano ISD taking a different timeline

Sachse families on the Plano ISD side will see a similar policy roll out later. Plano ISD announced it will expand a chip-enabled student badge system to all early childhood and elementary students starting in October 2026, building on a pilot at select campuses the previous spring. Secondary students in Plano ISD will continue using existing IDs without chip-enabled features.