North Brunswick Twp. School Uniform Task Force [PDF]

North Brunswick Twp. School Uniform Task Force Veronica Cole- Co-Chair Ed Kowalski- Co-Chair

Public Hearing May 17, 2012 6:00 p.m.

Meet the Members „ Students

„ Staff

Cristina Torres „ Sairam Vinjamuri „ Sapna Mehta „ Ilona Goulding „ Gabe Crumidy-Rosado „ Abigail Alegro „ Lindsay Mancini „ Parents „ Jane Girello „ Jessica Drury „ Laura Pelszynski „ Amanda Drinkard „ Pam Duckworth

Beverly Coleman (Dean) „ Robert Januska (Guidance Counselor) „ Linda Knopf (Secretary) „ Rebecca Pitts (H.S. Teacher) „ Board Members „ Gail DiPane „ Administrators „ Ed Kowalski „ Veronica Cole „ Vincent Delucia „ Pete Clark „ Jennifer Nicosia

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1990 Cover of Sports Illustrated

State of the Union Speech 1996 In 1996, President Bill Clinton brought the idea of school uniforms to the forefront when he suggested it in his State of the Union address. “ If it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear uniforms”

Reason For the School Uniform Task Force During the spring of 2011, the Linwood Middle School Climate Task Force was created in order to evaluate the school environment and make suggestions for improvement. During one of their meetings a student committee member suggested the examination of school uniforms.

Goals of The School Uniform Task Force „ Evaluate Research pertaining to impact on

school climate and student achievement. „ Evaluate possible legal implications. „ Estimate Cost/Budget Implications „ Conduct a Site Visitation (Rahway) „ Conduct Community Survey „ Report findings to the community

Manual on School Uniforms USDOE

User’s guide to adopting a school uniform policy: „ Get parents involved from the beginning „ Protect students’ religious expression „ Protect students’ other rights of expression „ Determine whether to have a voluntary or mandatory school uniform policy „ When a mandatory school uniform policy is adopted, determine whether to have an “opt out” provision „ Do not require students to wear a message „ Assist families that need financial help „ Treat school uniforms as part of an overall safety program

Current Schools in NJ that have a School Uniform Policy „ Asbury Park „ New Brunswick „ Hillside „ Rahway „ Neptune City „ Black Horse Pike „ Camden Newark

(Schools investigating uniforms) „ Edgewater „ Summit „ Carteret „ Old Bridge „ North Brunswick

Pros and Cons Mark Twain: “Cloths make the Man”

Pros „ Promotes positive school environment „ Promotes school unity and school spirit „ District-wide uniforms could help make easy transitions between schools „ Students would be easily recognizable in the community „ Focuses students on learning, not what they are wearing „ Could save families money „ Help students resist peer pressure to buy trendy clothes „ Could prevent bullying

George Washington: “Do not conceive that fine clothes make fine men any more than fine feathers make fine birds”

Cons „ Restricts student’s rights to self expression „ Difficult to enforce in public schools „ Difficulty identifying students in an emergency and/or discipline situation „ Makes students a target for bullies from surrounding districts „ Would cause district budgetary implications „ Could generate district potential lawsuits

The Effects of Student Uniforms on Attendance, Behavior Problems, Substance Use & Academic Achievement David L. Brunsma University of Alabama & Kerry A. Rockquemore, University of Notre Dame February 1998 The Journal of Educational Research

“Our findings indicate that student uniforms have no direct effect on substance use, behavioral problems or attendance. A negative effect of uniforms on student academic achievement was found. These findings are contrary to current discourse on student uniforms. We conclude that uniform policies may indirectly affect school environment and student outcomes by providing a visible and public symbol of commitment to school improvement and reform.”

Dressed for Success: Do School Uniforms Improve Student Behavior, Attendance & Achievement Elisabetta Gentile, University of Houston and Scott A. Imberman, University of Houston March 4, 2009

“We studied uniform adoption in a large urban school district in the southwest (LUSD-SW). In the early 1990's schools in LUSD-SW began to require uniforms. Each school was permitted to decide on its own whether or not and when to adopt uniforms. Since our data covers time periods before and after uniform adoption for many schools we are able to utilize a combination of student trends to identify the effect of uniforms on student outcomes. We found that uniforms appear to have little effect on test scores, attendance, or disciplinary infractions for elementary (grades 1 - 5) students. For middle and high school (grades 6 - 12) students, we also found improvements in attendance rates. These effects both primarily occur in female students. Thus, overall it appears that uniforms have a small but positive impact on student outcomes in higher grades.”

Are School Uniforms a Good Fit? Results From the ECLS-K and the NELS Ryan Yeung Syracuse University October 23, 2009

Study compared standardized test results among schools with Uniforms Verses schools without uniforms within grades 3, 8 and 10. The results are remarkably consistent across both sets of data (one from primary school students and one from secondary school students) and supports one general conclusion. There is little evidence that uniforms improve achievement in schools.

New Jersey Statutes - Title 18A Education - 18A:11-8 „

18A:11-8. Adoption of dress code policy for schools permitted 2. a. A board of education may adopt a dress code policy to require that students wear a school uniform if the policy is requested by the principal, staff and parents of an individual school and if the board determines that the policy will enhance the school learning environment. Any policy adopted which requires the wearing of a uniform shall include a provision to assist economically disadvantaged students. The board shall hold a public hearing prior to the adoption of the policy and shall not implement the policy with less than three months' notice to the parents or guardians of the students. The specific uniform selected shall be determined by the principal, staff, and parents of the individual school. b. The board of education may provide a method whereby parents may choose not to comply with an adopted school uniform policy. If the board provides such a method, a student shall not be penalized academically or otherwise discriminated against nor denied admittance to school if the student's parents choose not to comply with the school uniform policy. c. A dress code policy adopted pursuant to this section shall not preclude students who participate in a nationally recognized youth organization which is approved by the board of education from wearing organization uniforms to school on days that the organization has scheduled a meeting. L.1996,c.93,s.2

Opt Out Policy Roselle School District uniform policy waiver: „ 1. Health- A valid health issue that would preclude a student from being able to wear the uniform to school. A medical certificate shall be provided by the parent and/or guardian. „ 2. Religious Freedom: For those families who belong to a denomination or sect that have historical religious tenets which preclude a student from wearing any clothing other than religious apparel. „ 3. Financial Hardship- No student shall be denied attendance at school or penalized for failing to wear a uniform by reason of demonstrated financial hardship. „ 4. Students who participate in a nationally recognized youth organization, which is approved by the district from wearing organization uniforms to school on days that the organization has scheduled a meeting, such as the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts or other organizations.

Important points to remember: „ The policy needs to be requested by the principal, „ „ „ „

staff, and parents of an individual school. The policy must provide a provision to assist economically disadvantaged students. Survey all stakeholders (including students) A public hearing is required. Extensive information on the cost of the Uniform The district must give 3 months’ notice to parents of the implementation of the school-uniform dress code.

2009 NJ School Boards Association

Get parents involved from the beginning „ Parental support of a uniform policy is critical for success.

Indeed, the strongest push for school uniforms in recent years has come from parent groups who want better discipline in their children's schools. Parent groups have actively lobbied schools to create uniform policies and have often led school task forces that have drawn up uniform guidelines. Many schools that have successfully created a uniform policy survey parents first to gauge support for school uniform requirements and then seek parental input in designing the uniform. Parent support is also essential in encouraging students to wear the uniform.” http://www2.ed.gov/updates/uniforms.html

Protect students’ other rights of expression „ “A uniform policy may not prohibit students from wearing or

displaying expressive items -- for example, a button that supports a political candidate - so long as such items do not independently contribute to disruption by substantially interfering with discipline or with the rights of others. Thus, for example, a uniform policy may prohibit students from wearing a button bearing a gang insignia. A uniform policy may also prohibit items that undermine the integrity of the uniform, notwithstanding their expressive nature, such as a sweatshirt that bears a political message but also covers or replaces the type of shirt required by the uniform policy.” http://www2.ed.gov/updates/uniforms.html

Determine whether to have a voluntary or mandatory school uniform policy „ “Some schools have adopted wholly

voluntary school uniform policies which permit students freely to choose whether and under what circumstances they will wear the school uniform. Alternatively, some schools have determined that it is both warranted and more effective to adopt a mandatory uniform policy.” http://www2.ed.gov/updates/uniforms.html

When a mandatory school uniform policy is adopted, determine whether to have an "opt out" provision „ “In most cases, school districts with mandatory policies allow

students, normally with parental consent, to "opt out" of the school uniform requirements.” „ “Some schools have determined, however, that a mandatory policy with no "opt out" provision is necessary to address a disruptive atmosphere. A Phoenix, Arizona school, for example, adopted a mandatory policy requiring students to wear school uniforms, or in the alternative attend another public school. That Phoenix school uniform policy was recently upheld by a state trial court in Arizona. Note that in the absence of a finding that disruption of the learning environment has reached a point that other lesser measures have been or would be ineffective, a mandatory school uniform policy without an "opt out" provision could be vulnerable to legal challenge.” http://www2.ed.gov/updates/uniforms.html

Assist families that need financial help „ “In many cases, school uniforms are less expensive than the

clothing that students typically wear to school. Nonetheless, the cost of purchasing a uniform may be a burden on some families. School districts with uniform policies should make provisions for students whose families are unable to afford uniforms. Many have done so. Examples of the types of assistance include: (a) the school district provides uniforms to students who cannot afford to purchase them; (b) community and business leaders provide uniforms or contribute financial support for uniforms; (c) school parents work together to make uniforms available for economically disadvantaged students; and (d) used uniforms from graduates are made available to incoming students.” http://www2.ed.gov/updates/uniforms.html

Site Visit Findings (Rahway) Code was not specific enough and staff had complaints concerning: „ Students wearing scarves, bright color stockings or emblems on shirts „ Counselors providing passes for the day „ Skirts being too tight and too short, pants too tight „ Students wearing clothing that had Rahway Middle School or in district sports emblems „

Rahway Site Visit Concerns Code was not specific enough and staff had complaints concerning: „ Students wearing scarves, bright color stockings or emblems on shirts „ Counselors providing passes for the day „ Skirts being too tight and too short, pants too tight „ Students wearing clothing that had Rahway Middle School or in district sports emblems „

Survey Results „ 12.05.15 uniform survey.pdf

Average Cost For Boy’s „ 5 pairs of pants- $20 each $100 total „ 5 long sleeve shirts (Fall & winter) $14 each-

$70 total „ 5 short sleeve shirts (Summer & Spring) $13 each $65 total „ 1 Sweater- $20 total „ 1 pair of Shoes $35 total „ 5 pairs of Socks $25 total „ APPROX. TOTAL: $315.00

Average Cost For Girl’s „ 3 pairs of pants $20 each $60 total „ 2 skirts- $15 each $30 total „ 5 long sleeve shirts (Fall & Winter) $12 each $60 total „ 5 short sleeve shirts (Summer & Spring) $11 each „ „ „ „

$55 total 1 Sweater $18 1 pair of shoes $35 Stockings & Socks (5 pairs) $25 APPROX. TOTAL: $283.00

District Budget Implications „ If a school Uniform Policy is mandated by a

public school then an appeal process must be established for families that are unable to afford to purchase uniforms and the Board of Education will be required to purchase the uniforms for those families.

Potential Cost to the District „ The Average Cost Per Child would be $300 „ We currently have 2,402 children in the

district on free and reduced lunch „ Total potential cost of uniforms for free and reduced lunch students $720,600.00