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Dress Code

Dress Code Policy

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 are 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
  • underclothing worn as primary clothing items
  • sheer or see-through clothing
  • swimwear
  • clothing without all sides in the garment

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

Graduation Dress

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.