Will Gouge

School Uniforms: a Comparison Research Study on the Use of School Uniforms and Graduation , Attendance and Suspension Rates Will Gouge

This study compared specific school data from the state of Tennessee website to determine if there was a significant connection between school uniforms and graduation, attendance, and suspension rates. The schools were contacted to determine if they had a school uniform policy and how many seniors they had for specific years. If the school that requires school uniforms had higher graduation and attendance rates and a lower suspension rate than those that did not require uniforms, then it is likely that other schools will be able to implement a school uniform policy with success. If the results showed no difference in graduation, attendance, and suspension rates between schools that had school uniforms and those that did not, then administrators and policy makers may be wise to search for other strategies to improve their schools. Requiring school uniforms may increase the number of students who graduate by giving them needed structure. Attendance may also improve when students have guidelines that foster positive behaviors, and suspensions may decrease when teachers and administrators help students with the transition to the professional demeanor.