Starting September 1, 2026, Texas requires a photo, signature, and location for every check-in and check-out for students who receive child care subsidy funding.
What's Changing
The state of Texas now requires programs to capture a photo, signature, and location (GPS) from the person signing a subsidy student in or out. This is a state requirement, not a Playground policy.
It applies for all check ins or outs — the Kiosk, the Playground mobile app, and web app all require a photo, signature, and location now.
The first time you check in or out after September 1, you'll see a one-time notice explaining that this is a Texas requirement and that your photo is sent along with the attendance record.
Camera and location permissions are required. Without them, you won't be able to complete a check-in or check-out.
Check In or Out With a Photo, Signature & Location
Staff and admins can add images on behalf of families if needed. To do so, follow the steps below. Click here to view how parents add this information on their end.
On Mobile
Open your Playground app and tap the Roster button towards the top of your screen.
Tap Check in or Check out next to the student you want to check in or out.
You can also check multiple students in or out in bulk by clicking the three dots in the top right-hand corner and selecting Toggle quick sign.
Select the students you want to sign in or out and tap Sign for students.
Select who you are signing as and tap Sign for students.
The Texas Subsidy Requirement will populate the first time a student is checked in or out. Tap Got it after reading.
Tap Take photo when prompted.
Tap Use photo to continue signing the student in.
Tap Retake to retake the photo.
Add a signature and click Submit.
You'll see a green confirmation message letting you know your check-in or check-out was recorded successfully.
On Web
From your My School -> Students tab, click the checkboxes next to the student(s) you want to check in or out.
Once you've selected the students, click Check in/out.
If it is your first time checking a student in or out on web, you will then be prompted to give Playground access to your computer camera. Click Allow while visiting the site or Allow this time.
You will then be asked to allow Playground to access your location. You will also need to select Allow to abide by the Texas requirements.
Select who should appear as the signer.
Set the date and time of the signature.
Click Take photo and draw your signature.
Click the blue Check in or Check out button to complete the process.
Turn On Camera & Location Access
If you're not able to complete a check-in or check-out, it's usually because camera or location permissions aren't turned on for the Playground app.
Enable camera permissions. On iPhone, go to Settings → Playground → Camera and turn it on. On Android, go to Settings → Apps → Playground → Permissions → Camera and allow access.
Enable location permissions. On iPhone, go to Settings → Playground → Location and set it to While Using the App or Always. On Android, go to Settings → Apps → Playground → Permissions → Location and allow location access.
Make sure your Playground app is updated to the latest version. Older versions of the app don't support this requirement.
FAQs
Can I add a photo on behalf of a family?
Can I add a photo on behalf of a family?
Yes, admins can check students in and add photos on behalf of families.
Why are parents not being required to add a photo to check their kiddos in or out?
Why are parents not being required to add a photo to check their kiddos in or out?
If parents are not being asked to add a photo during the check-in or check-out process, these Texas requirements may not be enabled for your school. If this is the case, reach out to Playground Support and ask them to turn it on for you.