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 Oklahoma, truancy laws are established to ensure that children attend school regularly. According to Oklahoma statutes, it is compulsory for a child who is over the age of five and under the age of 18 to attend school. If a child is absent without a valid excuse for four or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, or is absent without a valid excuse for ten or more days within a semester, the child may be deemed truant. Truancy is typically handled as a civil matter, not a criminal one. The Oklahoma School Code outlines the procedures for addressing truancy, which often involve intervention strategies such as truancy prevention measures, notification of parents, and potential involvement of the juvenile court system. The focus is on the best interest of the child, with the goal of returning the student to regular school attendance rather than punitive measures. However, parents or guardians can also face penalties, including fines, if they fail to compel their child to attend school.