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 Oregon, truancy laws are established to ensure that children attend school regularly. Under Oregon law, a truant is typically a student between the ages of 7 and 18 who has more than eight unexcused half-day absences in any four-week period during the school year. The state's statutes, particularly in the education code, outline the responsibilities of parents and the procedures schools must follow when dealing with unexcused absences. Schools are required to notify parents after their child has missed just one day of school without excuse. If truancy persists, schools may refer the matter to a truancy officer or the juvenile court. In court, the focus is on the best interest of the child, with the aim of resolving the underlying issues causing the truancy. The proceedings are civil rather than criminal, but parents can sometimes face fines or other penalties if they are found to be contributing to the truancy. The goal is to address the truant behavior and support the child's return to regular school attendance.