Minga, the digital ID interface used across Alexandria City High School, has become a daily staple in student life. Implemented in the 2023-24 school year, it had students transition from physical IDs and hall passes to using an app with a barcode for checking in at the beginning of the day and for moving around the halls.
Despite mixed opinions on the use of the software, Minga is used widely across the King St. and Minnie Howard campuses. However, this is not the case at ACPS middle schools.
George Washington Middle School now requires the use of Minga on a day to day basis, while the software is not used in any capacity at Francis C. Hammond Middle School.
At GW, students are required to use Minga and physical IDs simultaneously for check in. According to GW principal Jeanette Vinson, students either scan their Minga IDs on their Chromebook or cell phone or scan their school issued physical ID card to gain access to the building at the beginning of the day.
Students at GWMS use physical ID cards for identification in the building as well. Sixth graders are required to wear their physical ID on a lanyard that is visible throughout the day, while seventh and eighth graders do not have to wear their IDs.
Minga is also used at GW as a digital hall pass. Students must request a Minga pass from their teacher to go to the restroom, nurse, office, and other locations within the building. Vinson says that the digital system “[allows] us to track which students are out of the classroom and for how long.”
Students can receive positive recognition through Minga as well. Through GW’s Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) program, students who demonstrate “Prexie P.R.I.D.E,” which stands for Preparation, Respect, Integrity, Dedication, and Excellence, can earn “Prexie Points.” Students can redeem their points, which are earned and tracked through Minga, for prizes at a monthly “Prexie Store.”
Many GW students think that Minga and its requirements are confusing and hard to use. “[Minga] is an extra step and the reasons for it are not clear,” said eighth grader Rachael Cruz. Cruz also said that the policies could be improved by only requiring the students to use one ID pass instead of two.
Minga can also cause issues for middle school students who do not have phones. Sixth grade student Zoe Carr, who does not have a phone, says that having to use Minga can be inconvenient. “It takes a very long time to get a pass and teachers don’t always let you go where you want to go,” she said.
In contrast, Francis C. Hammond Middle School has not implemented the software in any capacity. Students are only given physical IDs, which are not required to enter the school in the mornings. For hall passes, Hammond students use paper passes distributed by teachers upon request.
Eighth grade Hammond student Nathan Fenta says that the physical IDs at Hammond are not useful. “I have never once used them to do anything as they are not needed for anything,” he said.
At the time of publication, Hammond administrators could not be reached for comment on the school’s identification system.
Along with the differences between the two middle schools, the Minga and identification policies at GW and Hammond differ from Alexandria City High School’s policies.
ACHS students are not provided physical ID cards, whereas students at both middle schools are given cards at the beginning of the year.
ACHS has also phased out of using Minga for hall passes in the 2025-26 school year due to the phone ban, and inside of the building, Minga is generally only used for determining a student’s location for lunch. This differs from GWMS, where Minga is used for all movement inside the building, and from Hammond, where interior movement is only monitored through physical passes.
Overall, Minga use varies significantly across the school district. And despite mixed opinions on the software from students, it’s evident that the use of Minga is inescapable for most students.
