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 Illinois, truancy laws are primarily governed by the Illinois School Code, which defines a truant as a child subject to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid cause for a school day or portion thereof. State law requires children between the ages of 6 and 17 to attend school. Chronic or habitual truancy is addressed more severely and is defined as a child being absent without valid cause for 5% or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days. When a student is identified as a truant, schools are required to take certain steps, including notifying parents and providing support services to encourage attendance. If these measures fail, the school may refer the matter to the regional office of education for further intervention, which can include involvement of the juvenile court system. The courts aim to serve the best interest of the child, focusing on educational support and family involvement rather than punishment. The Illinois Juvenile Court Act allows the court to intervene in truancy cases, potentially leading to a range of outcomes from counseling and community service to alternative schooling programs.