This is Vermont, man. No such policies exist, or better I say...are enforced. I am an educator as well, and one of our biggest problems is truancy. Sure, we have policies in place, but ultimately they are never enforced. Even when reported to DCF they don’t do anything.
In this case, his parents were allowing him to stay home and would call his absence into school. Again, not the most “skilled” parents in the world, and certainly no importance placed on education, character, or committment in this family. I’m no being judgmental. It just is what it is.