Truancy is being absent from school without permission or a valid reason. A student who skips class to hang out with friends or stays home playing video games when they're not actually sick is committing truancy.

Schools track attendance carefully because missing class means missing learning. One or two absences might not seem like much, but truancy adds up quickly. A student who skips every Friday misses a fifth of the school year. Some students become truant because they're dealing with bullying, difficult family situations, or falling behind in their work, problems that skipping school only makes worse.

Schools and communities take truancy seriously because education is important for future opportunities. Most places have truancy laws requiring children to attend school regularly. Truancy officers work with families to understand why students are missing school and help get them back to class.