Asbury Park Superintendent Rashawn Adams wants a fresh start. After all, he oversees a district where last year 51% of students were chronically absent, 91% of high school students failed the most recent state Algebra test, and 84% of 4th-graders failed the reading test. Average SAT scores are 395 in reading (college-readiness cut-off is 480) and average SAT score in math is 387 (college-readiness cut-off is 530). So, Adams must be thinking, let’s start off with a surprise mandatory uniform requirement!

Thus the new district video featuring the superintendent, who begins by acknowledging “an error on our part in providing a form” that gives families the historically voluntary use of school uniforms. He clarifies, “there is no exception” to the new mandatory school uniform rule.

Here is the policy Adams references:

Please be reminded that the Asbury Park School District will require all students in grades Pre-kindergarten through 12th grade to wear uniforms. This dress code requirement, which goes into effect the first day of school, which is September 8, 2022.

Bradley Elementary & Thurgood Marshall Elementary School Students in Grades PreK-3 must wear Columbia blue top with navy bottoms.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Upper Elementary School Students in Grades 4-6 must wear Black top with Khaki bottoms.

Middle School at APHS in Grades 7-8 wear White top with khaki bottoms and Asbury Park High School in grades 9-12 wear  Columbia blue top with khaki bottoms.

The district will offer limited financial assistance on a first come, first served basis toward the purchase of three complete uniforms. Details are available on the district website at www.asburypark.k12.nj.us or visit your child’s school.

Why has Asbury Park gotten so strict about a school dress code? Is that going to make more kids show up? According to the youtube video, Adams claims all students weighed in on the decision to implement mandatory uniforms and agree this new policy is essential as the district “is working to improve our culture and provide a more unified direction.” This, he declare, is “my intention.”

Not everyone agrees. One staff member commented, “we tried mandatory uniforms in the past, however after the first month very few students were wearing them. What are the consequences if a student does not wear a uniform?  This must be made very clear to the parents. We were sending students home in the the beginning but then it was an issue with consistency and students missing school because they did not have a clean uniform. Please make sure you are prepared for all scenarios and make sure all parties are on the same page.”

Here is the video.