SCHOOL UNIFORMS IN URBAN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS by Virginia Ann Bendel Draa Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Education inthe Educational Leadership Program SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY November, 2005SCHOOL UNIFORMS IN URBAN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS Virginia Ann Bendel Dra Thereby release this dissertation to the public. I understand that this dissertation will be made available from the OhioLINK ETD Center and the Maag Library Circulation Desk for public access. | also authorize the University or other individuals to make copies of this dissertation as needed for scholarly research, Signature: ys es A Clete lt i )/T AMM A Pre 4, Bt Virginia(Bendel Draa, Student Approvals: \ = Chat arpa [Bo foe Charles B. Vergon, Disseriafign Advisor Date tase Pers Date POA CV ES Date VED ORI Date bn fopor Date Peter J. Kasvinskf,School Uniforms - iii ABSTRACT ‘The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the implementation of a mandatory uniform policy in urban public high schools improved school performance measures at the building level for rates of attendance, graduation, academic proficiency (as measured by school proficiency test pass rates in Reading and Math), and student conduct (as measured by rates of suspensions and expulsions). Sixty-four secondary schools serving students in grades 9-12 in Ohio’s eight largest cities were included in this, study. Four comparisons were used to ascertain if the school uniform policy influenced improvements in school performance measures, employing a quantitative, causal- comparative time-series design. These four methods were used to control for other plausible explanations for improvements in school performance measures by grouping schools locally and statewide, and by matching similar schools based on enrollment demographics and administrators’ survey responses. Analyses employed ANOVA and t- tests with Cohen’s d for small sample size. ‘Through these four comparisons, a pattem emerged that indicated improvement in rates of attendance, graduation, and suspension, but not in academic proficiency or expulsion rates in these schools with uniform policies. It was also determined that schools with uniform policies had higher proportions of economically disadvantaged and minority students than the larger population of urban public high schools. Implementation of a uniform policy in these schools may be effective for improving rates of attendance, graduation, and suspensions, These results may be important considerations for urban public schools seeking alternative means to improve their performance outcomes.