A habitual truant is a pupil who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse for all or part of five (5) or more days of school in a single semester.
A pupil who is alleged to be habitually truant and has failed to attend or comply with Attendance Matters Committee (AMC) may be referred to the Lincoln County Department of Social Services for the filing of a JIPS Petition alleging habitual truancy.
Any pupil who is the subject of a JIPS proceeding under the habitual truancy subsection will be appointed an attorney by the State Public Defender's Office.
Upon a determination by the Judge, after a court hearing, that the pupil is a Juvenile in Protection or Services (JIPS) due to habitual truancy, the pupil will be placed under a Dispositional Order with conditions determined to be appropriate by the caseworker, attorney, school official(s), and parent(s). The order will remain in effect until dismissed by the Court, and may be formally or informally reviewed as appropriate.