The Greenville ISD School Board unanimously voted to change the current standardized dress code to a general student dress code, with specific guidelines to be detailed in the student handbook, for the 2019-20 school year.
The decision will allow students to follow guidelines for appropriate dress, rather than dressing in solid polo shirts and other clothing items specified in the dress code, which has been in place since 2006.
Last year, 1,820 students, parents, staff and community members shared their opinions about GISD's dress code, with 81% wanting a change and 69% favoring a more relaxed dress code within specific guidelines. As a result, students were allowed Free Dress Mondays during the 2018-19 school year. GISD also relaxed dress code guidelines to allow students to wear any solid-color polo shirts the other days of the week.
During the year, several committees consisting of students, teachers and staff have expressed their opinions with all favoring moving away from a standardized dress code.
In 2019, GISD conducted a follow-up survey with students, parents, staff and community members. Of the 1,283 individuals who responded:
- 85% were satisfied with Free Dress Mondays.
- 74% favored a change to the standardized dress system.
Trustees agreed to revisit the dress code at the end of the 2019-20 school year to determine how the new guidelines impacted instruction and discipline on campuses and whether to continue with general dress or return to standardized dress.
