Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Logo Title

December 13, 2023

Dear FCUSD Community,

Over the last two years, FCUSD educational partners, including parents, students, teachers, and administrators, have come together as a Dress Code Advisory Committee to create a district-wide dress code policy based on research, data, and community engagement.  

Background:

For years, while FCUSD has had a Board Policy on Dress and Grooming, not all schools have had consistent practices of implementation and enforcement which has created frustration amongst students and families. When schools reopened after the pandemic, enforcing dress code violations became even more problematic. Students needed extra academic, social, emotional, and mental support than ever before. The priority for school staff and parents was on student learning and helping students to re-engage with school. This shifted the primary responsibility for a student's attire to be with the student and their family, allowing school staff to allocate time and resources towards student health and safety, academic success and to ensure students are thriving in school. 

In November 2022 a ThoughtExchange survey was sent to all parents, students, and staff as we explored updating a district-wide dress code. 

Summary of the ThoughtExchange survey regarding dress code (November 2022):

The responses to the ThoughtExchange varied greatly, ranging from those who want a gender-neutral dress code with district-provided school spirit t-shirts to those who want no dress code. Many responses focus on the need for modesty, comfort, and equity, while others emphasize the need for enforcement and restorative rather than punitive consequences. Some responses suggest uniforms, while others suggest more leniency in clothing choices. Overall, the responses demonstrate a desire for a dress code that is fair, gender-neutral, and respectful of students' comfort and autonomy.

The District Dress Code Advisory Committee used this feedback, along with research and data gathered from other school districts to create a pilot dress code policy for the 2023-24 school year that is fair, racially and gender-neutral, equitable, and enforced consistently throughout our District. As this pilot dress code has been implemented, feedback received from recent surveys to parents, students, and school staff has been positive with no negative impact on teaching and learning. 

Adoption of the Pilot Dress Code Policy will take place pending Board Approval and no sooner than the 2024-25 school year. Should you have any questions about this pilot dress code, please contact your school site principal.

Pilot Dress Code Policy

Students MUST wear:

  • Clothing that protects and covers private body parts.
  • Top (shirt, blouse, sweater, sweatshirt, tank, etc.)
  • Bottom (pants, shorts, skirt, dress, etc.) that completely covers the buttocks
  • Footwear must be worn.

This policy permits additional student attire requirements when necessary to ensure safety in certain academic settings (e.g., physical activity, science or CTE courses).  Additionally, this policy allows for reasonable variation in required student attire for participation in activities such as swimming.   

 Students MAY NOT wear:

  • Clothing that is sexually explicit, contains threats, or that promotes illegal or violent conduct such as the unlawful use of weapons, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or drug paraphernalia.
  • Visible underwear or bathing suits of similar design. Visible waistbands or straps on undergarments worn underneath other clothing are not a violation. 
  • Clothing that demonstrates hate group association/affiliation and/or uses hate speech targeting groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or other protected groups.
  • Sheer or see-through clothing that reveals private parts. 
  • Hats or headgear that cover the student’s face or intentionally masks student identity, except for clothing with a medical or religious purpose. Teachers may direct students to adjust headwear during exams or to address headphone/earbud issues.

Enforcement

  • Staff will use reasonable efforts to avoid addressing violations in front of other students.  
  • Staff will make every effort to avoid loss of instructional time when addressing dress code violations. 
  • For data collection purposes, dress code violations will be recorded in the Student Information System.
  • Depending on the severity of the first violation, a student may be simply warned not to wear the item to school in the future. 
  • When there is a question of whether a student’s dress is appropriate for the learning environment, the principal or designee will have the authority to make a final determination. 

Consequences

  • First Offense:  Change or correct clothing, parent/guardian notification, and violation will be documented in SIS.
  • Second Offense:  Change clothing, parent/guardian notification, detention assigned and documented in SIS. 
  • Third Offense:  Parent/Guardian conference with student and administration, further consequences will be determined by administration.