Due to declining student interest in studying and learning, U.S. student achievement is the lowest in history. School uniforms reduced the distractions that prevent students from learning at school (R. Ryan and T. Ryan 82). In a 2010 study, the University of Houston found that elementary school girls' language test scores increased significantly by about 3 percentile points after introducing uniforms to their school (ProCon). Students also view dress as a symbol of identification, self-expression, as well as a regulator of expected behavior. The authors of "The Students Dress Code Debate" state that since adolescents communicate values ​​and validate themselves through clothing, it is "reasonable to assume that values ​​may be linked to behavior." An adolescent's clothing choices are “a reflection of his or her abilities, personal qualities, or performance” (Swafford, Jolley, and Southward 10). Enforcing a dress code policy also reduces additional distractions and makes the classroom more serious.