Merced Union High School District Tardy Policy
Tardiness is disruptive to the learning process and is the number one reason people are fired from jobs.
In order for students to be successful and productive, they must develop habits of punctuality. These
habits will contribute not only to academic success, but also to career success in later years. Since
tardiness is neither responsible nor productive, and since it is disruptive to the educational process,
students will be held accountable for punctuality. Each student is to be in the classroom in his/her seat
or work station when the tardy bell begins to ring. Tardiness will be excused only if the student is tardy
for medical reasons verified by a parent or doctor. Tardiness due to oversleeping, missing the bus, car
trouble, traffic, etc. are unexcused, even with parent verification. The tardy policy is based on all
incidents of tardiness acquired for all periods. The tardy policy is a semester policy and begins over
second semester. Consequences are:
Tardy 1:
Tardy 2:
Tardy 3:
Tardy 4:
Tardy 5:
Tardy 6:
Tardy 7:
Tardy 8:
Tardy 9:
Tardy 10+:
Warning, parent contact
Warning, parent contact
After-School Detention, parent contact
Saturday School or Work Detail, parent contact
Saturday School or Work Detail, parent contact
In-School Suspension one day, parent conference held with
Associate Principal
Home Suspension, one day, parent conference held with
Associate Principal
Loss of Eligibility for 3 weeks, parent conference held with
Associate Principal
Home Suspension, one day, parent conference held with
Associate Principal, loss of eligibility for 6 weeks
Home Suspension three days. Considered act of defiance, parent conference
held with Associate Principal, loss of eligibility for 9 weeks
It is possible for a student to accrue more than one consequence in a day. For example: if a student is
tardy a third and fourth time in one day the student may be assigned a detention and a Saturday School.
Loss of eligibility is the loss of co-curricular activities including, but not limited to band, athletics,
cheerleading, club activities, and dances. Loss of eligibility is from the date of the last tardy the student
received.
Tardiness in excess of 30 minutes: If a student is tardy in excess of thirty minutes, he/she is absent and
considered truant according to Education Code 48260, and will be treated as truant in accordance with
Board Policy 5232.
Tardy sweeps will be conducted randomly throughout the school year. All students will be assigned a
Saturday School if they are outside class without a pass or signed agenda during the sweep.
Students found loitering on campus without a pass after the tardy bell rings may be subject to being
assigned a detention, in addition to the tardy consequence, for loitering.
Tardiness may be reflected in the student’s citizenship grade.