A Texas school district announced an updated dress code Tuesday, and officials cited several benefits to the changes.
The Forney Independent School District made two main changes in its dress code, WFAA reported Wednesday.
First, no clothing with hoods, such as hoodies and jackets, would be allowed inside the building. Second, dresses, skirts, and skorts were not allowed for students older than 4th grade.
According to Forney ISD’s Student Dress Code document:
The Forney Independent School District has a student dress code policy for all grades and all campuses. The dress code gives the district a positive and distinctive identity and reflects the values of the schools and community. All students are required to wear the appropriate dress each day except for those days designated as non-dress code days at the discretion of the school administrators.
The use of a school dress code is established to improve student self-esteem, bridge socio-economic differences among students, and promote positive behavior, thereby enhancing school safety and improving the learning environment.
The document also said if a student broke the rules laid out in the dress code, the student would be allowed to correct the problem while on campus.
“If not corrected, the student may be assigned to in-school suspension for the remainder of the day, until the problem is corrected, or until a parent or designee brings an acceptable change of clothing to the school,” it read.
Some schools reportedly experienced better attendance when their students wore uniforms to class, according to Future of Working.
“The average absence rate for students in middle or high school falls by about 7% after uniforms or a specific school dress code becomes enforced,” the website read:
There might still be some behavioral issues that teachers and administrators must handle each day, but the problems shift toward concerns with less severity. The benefits of this advantage can include a lower suspension rate and a higher graduation percentage.
Forney ISD also shared video of a student promising to “learn and model professionalism as I prepare for my dream career”:
Forney ISD’s mission statement said it partnered with parents and community members to “create and sustain an environment to maximize the potential of each learner.”