Student Dress - July 2022 Revision

The APS dress code shall not interfere with the right of students and their parents to make decisions regarding their appearance except when their choices affect the educational program of the school or the health and safety of others.

Principals shall develop and implement written individual school dress codes that comply with the requirements of this procedural directive. Individual school communities shall adopt their  school dress codes to address the needs and standards of their communities and neighborhoods through use of a process that ensures input from students, families, faculty and staff of the school and community input. Students and their parents/legal guardians shall be aware of the individual school dress code and shall conform to those requirements, including a uniform dress code where implemented.  The principal will review the process and the proposed dress code with the school instructional council and the associate superintendent. Principals shall interpret and enforce the dress code of his/her school.

Individual school dress codes shall be reviewed periodically with parents, teachers, and student group representatives to enlist their support and encourage pride.

Definitions

For purposes of this procedural directive, "cultural or religious headdresses" includes hijabs, head wraps or other headdresses used as part of an individual's personal cultural or religious beliefs (Section 22-5-4.3 NMSA 1978).

For purposes of this procedural directive, "protective hairstyles" includes such hairstyles as braids, locs, twists, tight coils or curls, cornrows, bantu knots, afros, weaves, wigs or head wraps (Section 22-5-4.3 NMSA 1978)

Guidelines for School Adopted Dress Code

Individual Albuquerque Public Schools shall adopt student dress codes in compliance with the minimum requirements set forth in this procedural directive and board policy.

 Each school community shall develop a dress code. Each school shall develop, implement and document processes utilized to ensure student, parent/legal guardian, school staff, and school community input and involvement in the planning and adoption process. The process shall include:

• a distribution of the proposed dress code to all parents/legal guardians and students
• an advertised public meeting at the school to allow discussion and comment on the proposed dress code
• a dress code process approved by the school site instructional council

 The school shall submit the proposed dress code and the family involvement and polling plan to the appropriate associate superintendent for approval prior to holding any community vote. 

The school shall document a vote on the proposed dress code with each student family having one vote. The school shall facilitate a voting process. At least sixty-five percent (65%) of the votes must be in support of the proposal before the school may adopt a student dress code.

Guidelines for Prohibited Dress

Albuquerque Public Schools shall prohibit student dress that may present a health or safety hazard, violate municipal or state law or present a potential disruption to the instructional program. The APS Board of Education shall not allow for the imposition of punishment, discrimination or disparate treatment against a student based on the student's racial identity, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, cultural or religious identity and observances, household income, body size/type or body maturity or because of the student's use of protective hairstyles or cultural or religious headdresses.

Prohibited clothing and accessories include, but is not limited to:

• obscene or violent language or images
• depictions of alcohol or drugs or other illegal item or activity
• racist content, hate speech, profanity or pornography
• accessories that could be considered dangerous or used as a weapon

Hair color, length, style, including hair coverings or styles related to an individual’s personal, cultural or religious beliefs cannot be considered for disciplinary action.

Student Uniform Dress

Individual Albuquerque Public Schools may adopt student uniform dress policies in compliance with the minimum requirements set forth in this procedural directive. 

All schools that have a uniform dress code shall be required to allow all students to wear:

• “docker” style pants that are black, navy and khaki in color
• Polo style shirts that are white, light blue, dark blue and green and are solid in color

Schools may accept additional colors or styles of pants and shirts as a school-based decision.

If a school wishes to adopt a student uniform dress policy, it shall develop, implement and document processes utilized to ensure student, parent/legal guardian and school community input and involvement in the planning and adoption process.  The process shall include:

• a distribution of the proposed policy to all parents/legal guardians and students
• specific plans to accommodate those families who cannot afford to purchase the required clothing
• an advertised public meeting at the school to allow discussion and comment on the proposed policy

The school shall submit the proposed dress policy and the family involvement and polling plan to the appropriate associate superintendent for approval prior to holding any community vote. 

The school shall document a vote on the proposed policy with each student family having one vote. The school shall facilitate a voting process. At least sixty-five percent (65%) of the votes must be in support of the proposal before the school may adopt a student uniform dress policy.

If a school successfully implements a school uniform dress code, the school shall be required on an annual basis to:

• submit the specific plan to accommodate those families who cannot afford to purchase required clothing for the current school year
• notify the APS Clothing Bank of the specific uniform dress code to be implemented for the current school year

No student shall miss instructional class time for the first two weeks of the school year or within the first two weeks of the student’s date of enrollment (whichever is later) due to their failure to wear appropriate school uniforms as long as the student’s dress complies with the minimum requirements of the Albuquerque Public Schools dress code as outlined above.  If a student fails to appear in uniform dress due to an inability of the family to pay for required dress, the school shall immediately implement their plan to accommodate the family.

A school may request permission from the superintendent, or his/her designee, to use a polling process different from that outlined above.

Uniform Dress or Appearance for Musical Performing Group

The district recognizes that some schools may desire uniform dress or appearance for performing musical groups for positive reasons. These positive aspects may include group identity, motivation, and appearance. The ability of all students to participate in district-sponsored activities shall be taken into consideration when uniforms are selected.  If a school permits the wearing of a simple uniform dress or appearance requirements by musical performing groups, the following guidelines shall be pursued:

• Parents/legal guardians shall be notified in advance of any uniform dress for musical performing groups during a school year in the school's course description booklet, which is sent home to families.
• Each teacher shall have the approval of the principal, or his/her designee, before any discussion and/or decision takes place between teacher and his/her class.
• As often as possible, uniforms shall incorporate clothing that can be worn at other times.
• Total cost of the uniform shall not exceed minimum practical cost.
• Individual schools and/or music departments involved shall be ready to help any student who cannot afford the minimum cost. Under no circumstances shall any student ever be excluded from the performing group for not having the group uniform.
• Any exceptions to the above shall be presented, in writing, to the principal and shall not be approved without counter signature of the appropriate associate superintendent or his/her designee.
• If a course or activity is required of all students, no fee may be charged nor may students be required to purchase a uniform.

Graduation Dress

Schools shall establish individual standards of appropriate dress, allowable accessories and regalia for honors assemblies taking place prior to the school’s official commencement ceremony.

Schools of choice shall establish individual standards of appropriate dress, allowable accessories and regalia and gap and gown requirements for graduation ceremonies.  School of choice graduating students shall be required to comply with the standards established by the school in order to participate in a district graduation ceremony.

All comprehensive high schools and their graduating seniors shall comply with the standards outlined by the district in order to participate in a district graduation ceremony. Those standards are:

• All graduating seniors shall be required to wear a uniform graduation cap and gown to participate in a district graduation ceremony.
• The following shall be allowed by all schools:
  • Stoles distributed by the Indian Education Department
  • Stoles distributed by the Black Student Unions (Kente Cloths)
  • Stoles distributed by Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA)
  • Stoles distributed by Gay Straight Alliance (GSAs)
  • Stoles distributed by military organizations
  • Students shall be encouraged to wear cultural dress. Schools may, however, require the cultural dress be worn underneath the traditional cap and gown with the exception of the stoles mentioned above. 
  • Students shall be permitted and encouraged to wear academic regalia.  District departments and/or schools may request from the associate superintendent of high schools and chief academic officer that its regalia be considered “academic” for graduation purposes. The associate superintendent for high schools and chief academic officer shall implement a standardized process through which regalia may be evaluated.
  • Schools shall establish individual standards of appropriate attire to be worn under the graduation cap and gown, which follow the school dress code. 

Administrative Position:

• Associate Superintendents for Leadership and Learning
• Chief of Schools

Department Director:                       

• Executive Director of Student, Parent and Employee Service Center
• School Principals

References

Legal Cross Ref.:  

• §22-5-4.3 NMSA 1978

Board Policy Cross Ref.:

• JI1 Student Dress
• JK Student Discipline

Procedural Directive Cross Ref.:

• Student Discipline and Standards of Behavior
• Suspension, Long-term Suspension, Expulsion and Due Process Procedures (Exclusionary Discipline)
• Student Fees, Fines and Charges

NSBA/NEPN Classification: JICA, IHAGA

Revised: May 1995
Revised: April 1996
Revised: May 1997
Approved: January 16, 2001
Revised: September 2009
Reviewed: September 24, 2010
Reviewed: October 11, 2010
Revised: October 15, 2010
Reviewed: September 10, 2014
Revised: September 26, 2014
Revised: February 19, 2015
Reviewed: October 28, 2015
Revised: November 11, 2015
Reviewed: December 9, 2015
Revised: December 11, 2015
Reviewed: June 16, 2021
Revised:  June 30, 2021
Reviewed: July 7, 2022
Revised: July 15, 2022

This page was last updated on: October 27, 2010.