What defines a 'Chronic Truant'?

A chronic truant is typically defined in educational contexts as a minor who has a significant amount of unexcused absences, which is often quantified as missing 5% or more of school days without valid reason. This level of absenteeism is concerning because it can indicate patterns of disengagement from the educational system that may require intervention. Tracking and identifying chronic truancy is vital for schools as it can affect a child’s academic performance and long-term outcomes.

In contrast, the other definitions do not encapsulate the official metrics used to classify chronic truancy as effectively as the chosen response does:

• The mention of 2% absences does not indicate a level that would typically define chronic truancy.
• While being absent for more than 10% of the school year may indicate truancy, it doesn’t specifically reflect the pattern and severity desired in the definition of chronic truancy.
• Failing to attend school for more than 30 days does indicate a significant absence, but it lacks the necessary context of unexcused days, which is crucial for determining chronic truancy.

Therefore, the definition that specifies 5% or more unexcused absences accurately captures the concept of a chronic truant in educational settings, highlighting the necessity