- April 2, 2025
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With the 2021 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday beginning Saturday, July 31, prompting parents to take care of their students' shopping needs, here is what you need to know about Volusia County Schools' new dress code.
After a unanimous vote on Tuesday, July 27, by the School Board, uniforms are no longer required to be worn by students. VCS had established a uniform dress code in 2016 by way of a 4-1 vote, with only current Board Chair Linda Cuthbert voting against. She's the only board member who voted in 2016 that remains in office.
School Board Member Ruben Colon said the uniform dress code was supposed to decrease bullying and improve students' academic performances, but that it did not accomplish either; instead, it caused administrators to issue more referrals due to dress code infractions.
“Looking at all of that and seeing where our focus is, which is teaching and learning, in order to teach, the kids got to be in class, and in order to learn, the kids got to be in class," Colon said.
Uniforms didn't work in Volusia, and by setting an "attainable standard" via the new updated policy, Colon said the district will see an improvement on this front.
Cuthbert said she had always been against uniforms because of the enforcement issues they involved. That's why she said she insisted on streamlining the district's new policy.
“If it’s easier to enforce, it’s easier for our kids to follow," Cuthbert said. "It’s easier on the referral list. We just want everything covered so the attention is on the textbook and the teacher and the learning, and not in ‘what do you have on?’"
Based on the district's new updated policy 217, here is what your student can and cannot wear:
Allowed:
Not allowed:
The sales tax holiday runs through Aug. 9.
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