To improve culture, Asbury Park, NJ school district brings back uniforms

ASBURY PARK — For the first time ever, all students in the Asbury Park school district will be required to wear uniforms starting this fall.

According to an email from Superintendent RaShawn Adams, and obtained by the Asbury Park Press, the district has had a student dress code policy and regulation on the books since December 2010.

But the district decided to return to uniforms in an effort to focus on improving the climate and culture of the district.

“This decision was not made lightly. I engaged students in all grades by way of our Student Advisory Committee beginning in January 2022,” Adams told the Press.

According to the Asbury Park school district website, uniforms are required for all students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The dress code requirement goes into effect on the first day of school, Sept. 8.

Bradly Elementary and Thurgood Marshall Elementary School students (Pre-K thru 3rd grade) must wear Columbia blue tops with navy bottoms.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Upper Elementary School students (Grades 4-6) must wear black tops with khaki bottoms.

Middle School students at Asbury Park High School (Grades 7-8) must wear white tops with khaki bottoms

Asbury Park High School students (Grades 9-12) must wear Columbia blue tops with khaki bottoms.

The district will offer some assistance on a first come, first served basis for families to purchase up to three complete uniforms per child. Details are available on the district website or visit the child’s school.

According to the Asbury Park Press, parents had mixed reactions to the new school uniform policy. 

Asbury Park is not the first Shore district to implement such a dress code policy.

In Long Branch, all pre-school through Grade 12 students are required to wear any combination of the following daily: pants, shorts, jumpers and/or skorts in khaki or black; collard golf/polo shirts, short or long-sleeved in white, gray or dark green. Collard shirt exceptions include turtlenecks and blouses in dark green, white or gray. All shirts must have the Long Branch Public Schools emblem patch.

Jen Ursillo is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at jennifer.ursillo@townsquaremedia.com

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