A research study of school uniforms on academic achievement, attendance, and behavior referrals in third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students

This study examined the effect of school uniforms on academic achievement, attendance, and behavioral referrals in third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in School Uniform Elementary School, a pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school located in a small, rural community in Southern New Jersey. Academic achievement was recorded for fifth and sixth grade students using the National Percentile Rank on the Terra Novas (n=63). Attendance was recorded for third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students by counting the number of days absent (n = 117). The number of written discipline referrals were recorded for students in third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade (n=l 17). Paired sample t-tests were utilized for each variable before and after school uniforms were instituted. The results demonstrated that a school uniform policy did not show a significant effect on academic achievement, attendance record, and discipline referrals. Although no differences were noted, the data indicated that these variables were moving in the desired direction