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 Vermont, truancy refers to the act of a student being absent from school without permission or acceptable reason. The state's truancy laws are primarily governed by Vermont Statutes, particularly within the education code. These laws mandate compulsory school attendance for children between the ages of 6 and 16. When a child is truant, the school is required to take certain steps, which may include notifying the parents, developing an attendance plan, and if necessary, referring the matter to a truancy officer. If these measures fail, the case can be brought to the attention of the family court. The court proceedings focus on the best interests of the child, aiming to address the underlying causes of truancy and provide appropriate interventions. The goal is to ensure that the child receives an education, rather than to punish the truant behavior. The process is civil in nature, and the state provides various resources and programs to help families and children comply with attendance requirements.