Habitual truancy is defined as what?

• A. Being late to class once
• B. Accumulating a certain number of unexcused absences in a specific period.
• C. Skipping a single day of school
• D. Dropping out

Answer: (B)

Habitual truancy is about a pattern, not a single incident. It’s defined by reaching a set threshold of unexcused absences within a defined period, such as a month or school year. That means it’s the ongoing, repeated skipping of school that triggers truancy status and potential intervention, rather than just being late once or skipping one day. Dropping out is a different status altogether, while a single skipped day or being late once does not by itself meet the definition. The idea is to identify students who consistently miss school without a valid excuse and respond accordingly.