How do my tardies convert into absences, and what does that do to my rate?

How we calculated this

Tardies divided by the tardies-per-absence ratio gives the converted absence count, either rounded up to a whole absence or kept fractional, depending on the policy you choose. Using the example values above (6 tardies at 3 per absence, rounded up), the result is 2 converted absences, which are then subtracted from your attended count before recomputing your attendance rate.

Limitations

This does not know your school's actual tardy policy, including whether "tardy" itself is defined by a specific number of minutes late, or whether the conversion resets each term or accumulates across the whole year. Confirm the real policy before trusting a converted absence count for a decision that matters.

Common mistakes

A common error is applying a rounding policy your school does not actually use; some schools genuinely track fractional absence credit rather than rounding at every conversion step, in which case using "round up" here would overstate the attendance impact of a partial conversion.

Frequently asked

Do tardies count against my rate before they convert?

Under the rule modeled here, no; a tardy only affects your rate once enough of them convert into a full (or policy-defined partial) absence. Confirm whether your school's actual policy differs.

What if my tardies-per-absence ratio is not a whole number?

Enter it as whatever your school actually states; the conversion math works the same regardless of whether the ratio itself is a whole number.

Does this affect my earned credits the same way an absence does?

This tool only calculates the attendance-rate effect; if your school ties tardy conversions to other consequences (a participation grade, for example), check that separately.

Can converted absences push me below my attendance floor?

Yes; once converted, they count exactly like any other absence toward whatever floor you are tracking, so check Absences Remaining with your updated totals afterward.

Do tardies ever expire or reset?

Only if your school's policy says so; some reset the count at the start of each term, others track it differently. Confirm the actual reset rule rather than assuming a running total carries over indefinitely.

Next decision

Once you have your converted absences, see Current Attendance Rate with your updated totals.