WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Blackboard has acquired CardSmith, the industry’s leading cloud provider of campus card solutions and turn-key card program management services, Blackboard announced today. CardSmith joins Blackboard’s growing set of student identification services and broadens the credentialing deployment options the company offers schools and institutions.

CardSmith’s industry-leading, multi-tenant cloud technology enables universities and K-12 schools and districts to deliver a comprehensive student credential solution without requiring software management or physical servers. Because of the acquisition, Blackboard can now offer cloud and locally-hosted processing solutions with in-house or outsourced management to a much wider range of schools.

Blackboard has provided campus card services and integrated campus commerce and security solutions to hundreds of institutions since 2001 through Blackboard Transact^™, a fully-integrated technology platform that creates a holistic experience for students to navigate life on and off campus. The technology enables students to enter secure buildings and facilities; pay for items such as books, meals, laundry and printing; and access campus events through a wave or tap of their smart card.

“Given the diversity of learners, there is a critical need for institutions to provide students with the most innovative technologies that support them both in and out of the classroom,” said Jay Bhatt, CEO of Blackboard. “Today’s news marks the latest step we are making in growing and investing in our Blackboard Transact portfolio and strengthening the educational experience we help schools provide to their students.”

“By combining with the campus card industry’s only proven and comprehensive cloud deployment offering, we are able to deliver a full-range of reliable and scalable options to schools,” said David Marr, senior vice president of Blackboard Transact. “These options are critical in meeting the unique needs of our diverse community, while also making a difference in the lives of students.”

CardSmith’s campus card or verification solution is used by hundreds of institutions and over 2 million cardholders. The company’s unique deployment model allows for the automatic delivery of the most current features and capabilities without downtime for upgrades or demanding time of campus or district IT resources.

“As cloud infrastructures become more mature and deployment more widely adopted, today’s news marks a big step in the evolution of the campus transaction industry,” said Jay Summerall, founder and president of CardSmith. “By joining forces with Blackboard, we are giving an innovative solution more scale to serve more institutions and improve the educational experience. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of a company that shares our mission of putting students first and being dedicated to their success.”

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About Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard is the world’s leading education technology company that is reimagining education by challenging conventional thinking and advancing new learning models. We rapidly deploy relevant and meaningful technologies and services to meet the needs of the modern day learner and the institutions that serve them, driving success and growth for both. In partnership with higher education, K-12, corporate organizations, and government agencies around the world, we help every learner achieve their full potential. For more information about Blackboard follow us on Twitter at @Blackboard.

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SOURCE Blackboard Inc.