A key part of tardy management is accurately capturing when a student is late to class. In this article, you will learn how to create a specific check in for tardiness and tie that single action to assigning a hall pass and recording the tardy behavior all in one action.
Permission Level Required: Owner
In this article:
Tardy Check In Reasons: Learn how to manage check in reasons for Tardy and Excused Tardy.
Automating your Check In- Attaching Behaviors, Passes, and Actions: Set up your check-in reason to automatically assign a hall pass, assign a behavior, and connect with your automated consequences.
Checking Students In as Tardy: A step-by-step walkthrough on checking students in through MyClass, Kiosk, or manually.
Tardy Check In Reasons
Minga has two tardy reasons as system defaults already set up with tardy management in mind. Below are the reasons, who they can be assigned to, and what actions automatically take place when the student is checked in with this reason:
Reason Name | Role Restriction | Auto Assign Behavior | Auto Assign Hall Pass | Track Absentees |
Tardy | Students, Student Leaders | Tardy | Tardy | Yes |
Excused Tardy | Students, Student Leaders | Excused Tardy | Tardy | Yes |
These default reasons can be edited to suit your specific needs, such as enabling the reason for use in kiosk mode:
Step-by-step Guide to Editing a Default Check in Reason
Step-by-step Guide to Editing a Default Check in Reason
Click on the Check in option from the main menu.
Navigate to the Reasons tab to view and manage available check-in reasons.
Select the edit icon.
Make any adjustments needed, such as toggling on Enable this reason in kiosk mode to allow quick and secure check-ins via kiosk.
Click Save.
For an in-depth walkthrough on creating and editing check in reasons, refer to this article.
Automating your Check In- Attaching Behaviors, Passes, and Actions to Check ins
Once you have established your Tardy Policy, you can tie key actions to a single check in reason, such as assigning a hall pass, assigning a tardy behavior, and triggering your progressive automation to ensure students stay accountable.
Good to know: The default Tardy Check In Reason will already have Auto assign behavior and Auto assign hall pass enabled, and set to assign tardy behavior/ hall pass types.
A. Auto-Assigning Behaviors
Linking the Behavior: In the Reason settings, link the check-in directly to the "Tardy" Behavior type.
Why It Matters: Every time a student checks in, it logs data directly into the Behavior Manager without manual staff entry.
B. Auto-Assigning Hall Passes
Linking the Pass: Toggle on Auto Assign Hall Pass and select a designated "Tardy Pass."
The Workflow Benefit: When checked in, a digital hall pass is pushed straight to the student’s device. They show this live countdown pass to their teacher to enter class, eliminating handwritten slips.
C. Triggering Downstream Actions & Consequences
Minga Automations: Linking the tardy behavior to the school's progressive discipline policy in the Behavior Manager.
Threshold Triggers: * 1st–2nd Tardy: Auto-email warning to parent/student.
3rd Tardy: System automatically assigns a "Lunch Detention" consequence.
Pro Tip: For a deeper dive into setting up behavior automations, refer to our article on creating a Progressive Discipline Framework.
Checking Students In as Tardy
There are 3 primary methods for checking a student in as Tardy:
Method 1: Through "My Class" (Best for Classroom Teachers)
Designed for teachers managing late arrivals directly at their classroom door.
Step-by-Step Guide to Checking in Students via MyClass
Step-by-Step Guide to Checking in Students via MyClass
Open the MyClass tab on the navigation sidebar.
Select the active User List from the dropdown menu.
Select the checkbox next to the student who walked in late.
Open the actions panel on the right (or select "Most Used With List") and click Check-In.
Select the Tardy reason. (Note: For FlexTime activities, click FlexTime > Check-in > Check in as Tardy).
For an interactive walkthrough on checking in students through MyClass, refer to this article.
Method 2: Manually / Roaming (Best for Hall Monitors & Main Office Staff)
Perfect for staff members scanning students in real-time using mobile devices or desktop barcode scanners.
Step-by-step Guide to Checking in Students via My Tools
Step-by-step Guide to Checking in Students via My Tools
Go to My Tools and click Assign a Check In.
Select the Tardy reason and add an optional note (e.g., "Overslept" or "Bus was late").
Click Next.
Look up the student:
By Camera/Scanner: Scan the barcode on the student's digital or physical Minga ID card.
By Search: Type the student’s name or ID number into the search bar.
Check off the student and click Add/Assign.
For a step-by-step guide on checking in students through MyTool, refer to this article.
Method 3: Via Kiosk Mode (Best for Centralized Tardy Stations)
Ideal for unstaffed or lightly supervised "Tardy Stations" set up on Chromebooks or iPads around campus.
Step-by-step Guide to Checking in Students via Kiosk
Step-by-step Guide to Checking in Students via Kiosk
(Staff Setup): Go to My Tools, click Enable Kiosk Mode, and enter your staff security PIN.
Select Check In as the Kiosk type.
Choose the Tardy check-in reason from the list and click Enter Kiosk Mode.
(Student Action): The student walks up to the kiosk and scans their Minga ID barcode.
The Result: The screen flashes green to confirm success, logs the behavior, issues their digital Tardy Pass, and resets for the next student.
Dive deeper into using Kiosk Mode for check ins by checking out this article.
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting
Issue: The "Tardy" reason isn't showing up for teachers to select in "My Class" or "My Tools."
Solution: Navigate to Check In > Reasons and locate your Tardy reason. Click Edit and ensure the status is toggled to ACTIVE. Also, double-check the Role Restrictions box; if you accidentally restricted the reason to a specific grade or group, it won't populate universally for staff.
Issue: The Tardy option is missing from the Kiosk screen.
Solution: There are two likely culprits here:
Reason Setting: Inside Check In, edit the Tardy reason and verify that the Toggle ON Kiosk mode switch is enabled. Click Save.
Device Launch Setting: When launching Kiosk mode from the
My Toolspage, ensure you selected Check In as the Kiosk type (rather than Hall Pass) and explicitly checked the box next to your Tardy reason before hitting "Enter Kiosk Mode."
Issue: The automated consequence (e.g., Detention) didn't trigger after a student checked in.
Solution: First, verify that Auto Assign Behavior is toggled ON within that specific Check-In reason configuration. Second, review your automation rules in the Behavior Manager. If your rule is set to trigger a consequence on the 3rd Tardy, the system will log the behavior but will not issue an action for the 1st or 2nd infraction.
Issue: The Chromebook or iPad running the Tardy Kiosk keeps going to sleep.
Solution: Minga cannot override local device hardware settings. You must change this on the device itself. For example, on a Chromebook, go to Settings > Device > Power and change the idle setting to "Keep display on" when plugged into power.
FAQs
FAQs
What if a student arrives late to a Kiosk station but doesn't have their phone or physical ID card?
If your school permits manual entry, the student can simply type their Student ID number directly into the Kiosk screen using the digital or physical keyboard. If your school has locked kiosks down to "Scan Only" for security, the student will need to be checked in manually by a staff member via the search bar in My Tools.
How do I exit or change settings on a Tardy Kiosk once it's active?
Click the three-dot dropdown menu (or Exit button) in the top-right corner of the Kiosk screen and click Logout or Edit Kiosk. You will be prompted to enter the security PIN you created when launching the session.
Forgot your PIN? Click "Request PIN to Email" on the exit screen, and Minga will instantly drop the code into your staff inbox.
A student is on the "No Pass" / Restriction list. Will Minga block them from checking in as Tardy?
This depends entirely on your settings. In the Check-In Reason settings, there is a toggle called "Apply No Access Filter." For tardies, it is best practice to leave this OFF. This ensures that even restricted students can check in, log their tardy behavior, and receive a pass to get off the hallways and into their classroom.
Does checking a student in as Tardy in Minga automatically update our main attendance roster (e.g., PowerSchool, Skyward, Infinite Campus)?
No. Minga operates alongside your SIS to manage real-time campus security, hall monitoring, and behavior workflows. To reconcile your official attendance, an administrator should periodically head to Check In Manager > Reports, filter by the Tardy reasons, and export the file as a CSV to update or cross-reference your school's primary SIS data.
Resources
Tardy Management Setup Guide: A complete guide for establishing your Tardy policy in Minga.
Create a Progressive Discipline Framework with Automated Consequences: Automate when consequences are issued per tardy behavior assigned.
Admin Guide to Kiosk Setup and Use: How to enable and set up a check in Kiosk.