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 outlined in Title 16 of the Vermont Statutes, which deals with education. These laws mandate compulsory school attendance for children between the ages of 6 and 16, and they provide guidelines for how schools and districts must respond to unexcused absences. When a student is truant, the school is required to take steps to address the issue, which may include notifying parents, developing an attendance plan, and providing interventions. If these measures fail, the case may be referred to a truancy panel or the family court system. In court, the focus is on the best interest of the child, with the goal of resolving the underlying issues causing truancy and ensuring the child's return to regular school attendance. The proceedings are civil in nature, and the court may issue orders for counseling, community service, or other remedies deemed appropriate. Parents or guardians may also be held accountable under Vermont law if they contribute to the child's truancy.