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Student Dress Code

Policy Code: 4316 Student Dress Code

The Richmond County Board of Education seeks to create and maintain a safe, respectful, and inclusive school environment. The student dress code supports these efforts in collaboration with students and their families. The responsibility for the dress and appearance of a student rests primarily with the student and the student's family. Our expectation is for families to partner with the school district as we work together to uphold safety, respect, and inclusivity through our implementation of the student dress code policy during school hours and school activities. This policy is intended to maintain the benefits of the prior uniform policy while allowing families greater flexibility in student attire and to encourage an educational environment that supports studious engagement and focus in class.

General Guidelines:

  • Students must wear clothing that covers their skin from shoulders to no more than 6 inches above the knee with non-see-through fabric in front, back and on the sides.
  • Students must always wear shoes. Shoes must have backs or heel straps (K-5). Bedroom shoes are not allowed.
  • Jackets/Coats may be worn in any color.
  • Clothing must cover undergarments.
  • Specialized courses may require specialized attire, such as sports uniforms or safety gear.
  • Students may not wear hats, sunglasses and/or head coverings except in the case of approved religious and medical exemptions.

Students may not wear or carry clothing, jewelry, book bags or other personal articles that:

  • depict profanity, vulgarity, obscenity or violence;
  • promote the use or abuse of alcohol, tobacco or drugs;
  • are prohibited under Policy 4328 (Gang and Gang Related Activity)
  • threaten the health or safety of staff or students; or
  • are reasonably likely to create a substantial disruption of the educational process or operations of the school.

Top Attire:

1. Students may wear the following types of top attire:

a. Polos
b. T-Shirts
c. Oxfords (button-down)
d. Sweatshirts
e. Hoodies (hood must not be worn on the head inside the building)
f. Sweaters
g. Dresses (no shorter than six inches above the knee in length)

Top Attire:

2. Tops other than dresses must cover the waist or midriff and not extend lower than mid-thigh.
3. Tank tops and spaghetti straps are prohibited.
4. Tops can be worn tucked or untucked.
5. School specific pridewear may be worn at any time. All schools will retain their designated school spirit colors.
6. Richmond Raider pridewear may be worn in grades Pre-K-12 at any time.

Bottom Attire:

1. Students may wear the following types of bottom attire:

a. Khaki pants
b. Jeans
c. Leggings/Jeggings 
d. Joggers
e. Skirts
f. Shorts

2. Shorts and skirts must be no shorter than six inches above the knee in length.
3. Spandex shorts are prohibited when not worn as an undergarment.
4. Belts must be worn if bottom attire doesn’t fit at the waist.
5. No skin may be exposed more than six inches above the knee including holes in bottom attire.

The principal may make reasonable accommodation for religious or medical reasons so long as the clothing in question is not prohibited.

Before receiving disciplinary consequences, a student who is not in compliance with this policy will be given a reasonable time to comply with the dress code. Disciplinary consequences for a student who fails to comply after being offered this opportunity shall be consistent with Level I of policy 4302 R-1, Code of Student Conduct.

To equitably enforce the district dress code, all teachers, administrators, and staff must be notified of and provided any needed training on equitably and properly implementing the policy as well as the expectations of the board as necessary throughout the school year.