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 Texas, truancy laws are primarily governed by the Texas Education Code, which defines truant conduct and establishes the procedures for addressing it. Truancy is considered a conduct issue rather than a criminal offense, focusing on the best interest of the child. The state defines a truant student as one who is absent without permission on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, or ten or more days within a six-month period. When a student is found to be truant, Texas law mandates intervention strategies that may include behavior improvement plans, school-based community service, or referral to counseling. If these interventions fail, the school may file a complaint with a truancy court. The court then has the authority to impose a variety of measures designed to ensure school attendance, such as ordering the student to attend school without unexcused absences, participate in mentoring programs, or attend a preparatory class for the high school equivalency exam. Parents or guardians may also be held responsible for their child's truancy and face penalties such as fines or compulsory attendance in parenting classes. The focus of Texas truancy laws is to provide a civil, rehabilitative approach to encourage school attendance and address the underlying issues contributing to truant behavior.
