The Cleveland Plain Dealer

8/19/2007

Cleveland schools Superintendent Eugene Sanders set up a telephone hot line Tuesday to answer questions by parents who are anxious about a variety of changes in the new school year, including a requirement that students wear uniforms.

The back-to-school hot line will remain open until Friday. Operators are available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. The number is 216-426-3984.

Here are the five most frequently asked questions, along with the answers.

How are school assignments made?

Excluding the Schools of Choice, students are assigned to schools closest to their homes. Under some circumstances, school assignments may be made to accommodate a family’s needs.

How can my son or daughter qualify for transportation?

Any student in kindergarten through eighth grade who lives at least two miles from his or her assigned school qualifies for bus transportation. Any high school student living at least three miles from school can purchase a bus ticket at $1 per trip.

Please explain the difference between the dress code and the uniform dress code?

Children in kindergarten through eighth grade must wear solid blue or white tops with collars or turtlenecks and skirts or pants in solid dark blue, navy, black, khaki or tan.

Children attending most high schools can wear tops of any solid color, but the shirts must have a collar or turtleneck. Skirts or pants may be any solid color. Belts are required for any slacks or skirts that have belt loops.

No headgear is allowed at any grade level, except for religious exemptions.

Prohibited are jeans; denim and cargo pants; sweat clothes including hoodies; and long white T-shirts. Clothing, except shoes, cannot bear insignias or anything written.

When will I know if I have qualified for the Uniform Voucher?

Parents should receive an acceptance letter about two weeks after they submit the application.

Why are the single-gender academies only pre-kindergarten through second grade?

That’s just the first year of the academies. Each year, as students move along, the district will add a grade level, up to grade eight.

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