A truant is a student who stays away from school without permission or an explanation. Truancy laws are designed to encourage school attendance by creating simple court procedures through which children are held accountable for excessive school absences. The courts focus on the best interest of the child when addressing the truant conduct of a child.

Truant conduct is usually prosecuted or addressed as a civil (noncriminal) matter, and the definition and procedures for dealing with truancy are usually located in a state's statutes—often in the family code or education code.

In Florida, truancy laws are established to ensure that children attend school regularly, as education is considered vital for a child's development and future opportunities. Florida Statutes, particularly in the education code, define truancy and outline the procedures for addressing it. Truancy is typically defined as a student having a certain number of unexcused absences from school within a given time frame. When a student is truant, the school is required to take steps to address the absences, which may include notifying the parents, conducting an intervention meeting, and developing a plan to improve attendance. If these measures fail, the case may be referred to the court system. In court, truancy is handled as a civil matter, not a criminal one, and the focus is on the best interest of the child. The court may impose various measures, such as ordering the child to attend school, participate in counseling or a mentoring program, or complete community service. The court may also address the role of the parents or guardians in the child's truancy and can order them to participate in parenting classes or other interventions. The goal of these proceedings is to correct the truant behavior and support the child's return to regular school attendance.