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 Minnesota, truancy laws are established to ensure that children attend school regularly, as education is considered essential for a child's development and future opportunities. Under Minnesota statutes, a truant is a child under the age of 17 years who is absent from attendance at school without lawful excuse for seven school days if the child is in elementary school, or for one or more class periods on seven school days if the child is in middle school, junior high school, or high school. Minnesota law requires school districts to report habitual truants to the appropriate authorities. The matter is typically handled through the juvenile court system, focusing on the best interest of the child. The court may order various interventions, such as counseling, educational assessments, or other services aimed at addressing the underlying issues contributing to the truancy. The goal is to support, rather than punish, the child to encourage a return to regular school attendance.