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Everything you need to know about student check-in

[For Admins + Managers] Learn about brightwheel's check-in experience!

Sabrina avatar
Written by Sabrina
Updated today

With brightwheel’s digital attendance features, child drop-off and pick-up are easier, faster, and more secure than ever! This article will guide you through the various options available, how they work, and where to find more information.

Both students and staff can be checked in and out from a kiosk, or by scanning a QR code. To learn more about the staff experience specifically, please visit Staff Check-in Overview.


Available attendance features

Brightwheel offers several flexible ways to manage student attendance, ensuring you can choose the method that best suits your program's needs.

Check-in kiosk

The Check-in kiosk transforms your mobile device into a secure station for student contacts (parents, guardians, approved pickups) to check children in and out. While a check-in code is always required, you can enable additional requirements:

  • Digital Signatures - Require student contacts to provide their digital signature at both drop-off and pick-up

  • Quick Scan - Student contacts can scan a printed, or digitally displayed QR code for touchless check-in

  • Health Screen - Collect additional health information at check-in

ℹ️ For detailed instructions on setting up your kiosk, visit our guide on how to Set up a check-in kiosk.

QR code Quick Scan

Opt for a QR code Quick Scan for a streamlined, touchless check-in. You can display a digital QR code on a kiosk or print it out for easy access. Contacts simply scan the code using the brightwheel app, enter their 4-digit check-in code, and complete any additional requirements like Digital Signatures or Health Screens.

ℹ️ To learn more about managing QR codes and accessing them, see our Quick Scan Management guide.

Staff take attendance (Attendance Mode)

Brightwheel's Attendance Mode feature allows staff to internally track the whereabouts of each student throughout the day. Staff can check students in and out, move them to different rooms that the student is assigned to, or mark them absent.

You have control over whether contacts receive notifications when staff log student attendance, which can be adjusted in your check-in settings.

ℹ️ For step-by-step instructions on how staff can utilize Attendance Mode, explore Attendance Mode for Staff.


How check-in codes work

To initiate a check-in/out from a kiosk, contacts must enter their 4-digit check-in code. Users receive a unique check-in code upon creating their account, which can be customized. In some states, these codes are recognized as a digital signature equivalent.

Contacts will be asked to enter their 4-digit check-in code if you are using Quick Scan and they scan your QR code for check-in/out.

Locate a check-in code on behalf of a student contact

Student contacts can locate their check-in code within their brightwheel account or you can view it as a provider.

  1. Login to brightwheel from a web browser

  2. Click on My School > Parents from the side menu

  3. Select the tab Parents, Family, or Approved Pickups at the top to select the contact type

  4. Under the Check-in Code column on the right side of the page, click Reveal All

ℹ️ For instructions on how families and staff can find and edit their code, visit Locate and Edit Check-in Code.


Family resources

Parent, Family, and Approved-pickup contacts can check students in and out of their assigned rooms. If a room is missing, please ensure the child is assigned correctly.

For detailed instructions on checking a child in and out, direct contacts to our Check in Students as Guardian resource.


How attendance reporting works

All check-in data is automatically recorded, giving administrators real-time visibility into attendance and room ratios needed for licensing and tuition billing,

Visit Reports & Data Overview to learn more about how providers can export check-in/out data, or print attendance sign-in sheets to meet their unique needs.


Additional check-in features

Click to learn more about a specific feature.

Drop off forms

Drop-off forms allow guardians to provide extra details like wake-up time, last meal, bathroom use, optional pickup time, or leave a custom note during check-in. During check-in, or pick-up, guardians can tap the pencil & paper icon next to the child's name to fill it out.

The provided details become part of the check-in record, visible on the student's feed for both staff and parents.

Digital signatures

Require student contacts digitally sign their signature each time they check their child in and out. Please visit our Digital Signatures resource for more information and steps on enabling this feature.

Health screenings

Require student contacts complete a health questionnaire upon check-in. Get notified when students fail the screening to ensure the wellness of your students and staff!

Please visit our Check-In Health Screening Questionnaire resource for steps on enabling this feature.

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