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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 and to hold them accountable for excessive unexcused absences. Under Oklahoma law, a child between the ages of 5 and 18 years is required to attend school, and parents are responsible for ensuring their child's attendance. Truancy is addressed primarily through civil procedures rather than criminal prosecution. The Oklahoma School Code outlines the responsibilities of school officials to monitor attendance and report cases of habitual truancy to the district attorney. The courts may intervene to determine the causes of truancy and to implement measures that serve the best interest of the child, which can include educational support, counseling, or other services. The goal is to address the underlying issues leading to truancy and to promote the child's educational welfare rather than to punish the behavior.

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