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 Nevada, truancy laws are primarily governed by the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS), particularly within the education code. These laws mandate that children from the age of 7 to 18 must attend school unless excused for acceptable reasons. When a student is declared a 'habitual truant,' which typically means having three or more unexcused absences in a school year, schools are required to report this to the juvenile court. The court proceedings focus on the best interest of the child, aiming to address the underlying issues causing truancy rather than imposing punitive measures. Interventions may include counseling, community service, or participation in a program to encourage attendance. Parents or guardians may also be involved in the process, as they are responsible for ensuring their child's attendance and may face penalties themselves for their child's habitual truancy. The goal of Nevada's truancy laws is to provide a supportive framework to promote regular school attendance and address attendance issues early on.