Are School Uniforms Really Effective? Stats and Students Weigh In.

The first time Isabella Diaz ever went without a school uniform was when she arrived at Liberty University. Her entire academic career - from elementary school to high school graduation - consisted of a strict dress code.

Diaz has always loved school uniforms. Not because they were particularly comfortable, affordable or even flattering, but because they make mornings easy and bring a formality to academic environments.

"I really loved [wearing uniforms]. It's hard enough waking up for school every day, but having to pick out an outfit was never really a problem," Diaz said.

Not surprisingly, Diaz's opinion is very unpopular, according to various statistics. A study by Quartz, an online business publication, reported that a majority of students wish they didn't have to wear uniforms. But even though it seems like plaid skirts and polo's aren't in style, are uniforms really better for schools?

---

Academic Performance

Chris Baumann of Macquarie University sought to answer this question, and found that globally, the schools that executed the highest levels of discipline also achieved the highest performance from their students.

Whether or not this is because of the uniforms themselves isn't yet proven, but a study by Holloman in 1996 found that there are perceived biases about schools with uniforms. People tend to believe that schools that require uniforms are better academically than those that don't.

According to The Perspective media, adding uniforms to a school builds a clear hierarchy for students that has many benefits.

"Learning is more likely to happen when there is a sense of decorum and respect for authority in school," The Perspective wrote. "When school uniforms are mandatory, classrooms may become more disciplined and orderly, as uniforms remind students where they are and how they are supposed to behave."

The Perspective also noted that academic achievement can be boosted because uniforms help pave the way for disciplined classrooms and higher standards for learning.

Some studies show that uniforms give a sense of equality for all students within a school, especially in areas with racially or economically diverse student bodies.

According to research by the University of Houston, schools achieve higher test grades overall when they require uniforms.

Student Preference

Perhaps the trickiest part of implementing school uniforms is getting the students themselves onboard. According to the National Association of Elementary School Principals, only 41 percent of 1350 surveyed students liked uniforms - the rest didn't like them or were indifferent.

Scholastic backed this research up nationally, showing that polled students seem to prefer going without uniforms. (The only exception was students in the North West, who actually like wearing uniforms.)

The main scruple uniform protesters seem to have is echoed by a study from Meadmore and Symes: uniforms curtail students' rights to freedom of expression.

"My personality always spoke for myself, so it didn't really bother me, because my friends knew who I was, and outside of school I could wear whatever I wanted," Diaz said.

Diaz explained that other students may have felt less like an individual, but her and her friends never experienced this.

Discipline Issues

Baumann's study heavily looked into the disciplinary issues in schools with and without uniforms and found that students in uniforms are better listeners, create less violence in schools, and even less stress in households. The ease of getting ready in the morning because of uniforms drastically changed the learning environment of students at school.

A 2003 study at Howard University showed other results, though. Some schools saw improvements in disciplinary issues, while a few showed no significant change.

But mediums like the Perspective say the power of uniforms is not in their ability to stop discipline issues, but the way they change students' mindsets. According to them, uniforms help distinguish teachers as the ones in leadership. Baumann found that uniforms can be used to set new academic standards in schools. The University of Houston reported that these factors lead to better student behavior overall.

One reason this may be is that gang colors and symbols are not included in uniforms, so all students are equal and not secluded in groups.

Attendance

In addition to Baumann finding less disciplinary issues at schools with uniforms, his research also found that there are higher attendance rates at schools with uniforms.

The University of Houston supported this, as their data showed higher attendance and higher student retention rates at schools with uniforms. This may be because parents feel higher levels of satisfaction at schools with uniforms.

---

Overall, many studies have shown that students focus better and perform at higher levels when uniforms are implemented. In many cases, though, students still dislike the idea of having to wear a uniform every day.

The University of Houston reported that the benefits of uniforms are not instant - there seems to be a learning curve as students get used to the idea. As time goes on, however, the benefits of uniforms are seen in higher performing schools and better academic environments overall.

Diaz has already decided that her future children will be attending schools that require uniforms. In her opinion, uniforms give a sense of focus and purpose to students that makes all the difference.