The Board of Trustees of the Greenville Public School District upon the urging of parents, staff and community members have studied and researched a uniform dress code for students. Research indicated that schools with school uniforms have enhanced school safety, improved the learning environment, reduced tensions, bridged socio-economic differences between children, promoted good behavior, improved children's self-respect and self-esteem and produced cost savings for participating families. During the 1995-96 school year, the District implemented a student uniform policy for grades K-6. The benefits were evident and schools with greater compliance levels tended to enjoy commensurately better results. Accordingly, the District determined to extend the benefits of the program throughout the District by implementing a mandatory uniform policy for all students (K-12) for the 1996-97 school year. For each of the first three years of the mandatory uniform program, the district will assess the policy, modifying it as appropriate.