Date of Award
2001
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Charles M. Achilles
Committee Member
Charles L. Faires
Keywords
academic achievement, academic classes, academic year, Atlanta, attendance, behavior, categorical office disciplinary referrals, control schools, disciplinary referrals, dress code, enrolled students, GPA, grades 6-8, in-school suspension assignments, learning environment, middle school, opt-out option, orderly learning environment, parent perceptions, pilot study, quantitative comparisons, quantitative data, questionnaires, safer school, school populations, school uniforms, semester, student attendance, student disciplinary referrals, student perceptions, student uniform policy, student uniform program, survey respondents, teacher perceptions, uniform policy studies, uniform program implementation, variances in school populations
Abstract
This report describes a student uniform program that was implemented in a suburban Atlanta Grades 6-8 middle school. The goals of the program were to decrease the number of student disciplinary referrals, increase attendance, and increase academic achievement. Students followed the student uniform policy, or their parents chose to have them opt out of the dress code. Only 3% of parents chose the opt-out option.
This study utilized two control schools for comparison. Questionnaires assessed parent, teacher, and student perceptions on the effectiveness of school uniforms. Quantitative data were compiled on the impact uniforms had on the number of disciplinary referrals, attendance, and achievement as measured by grade point average (GPA). Indexes were used for quantitative comparisons to account for variances in school populations.
At the study school, where 795 students were enrolled, student GPAs in core academic classes increased by the end of the 1st semester of a planned 3-year pilot study. Survey respondents indicated that uniforms promoted good behavior and an orderly learning environment and made the school safer. Limited declines in the number of categorical office disciplinary referrals and overall in-school suspension assignments seemed linked to the uniform program implementation. No significant improvement in student attendance was measured.
This study, like many other uniform policy studies, is inconclusive. This uniform program will continue at least through the 2002-2003 academic year.