Trustees discussed proposed revisions to board policy 5.21, which would require consistent implementation of dress-code administrative regulations across district schools. The item was presented as a first reading and no action was taken; board members debated whether to require a single district standard or different standards by level (elementary vs. secondary).

Superintendent Alvarado said his office will compile site dress-code policies, review them by level and work with administrators to reduce inconsistencies: "My intent is to collect all dress code policies from every school in the district... and then we'll work with our administrators to ensure that they are consistent," he said.

The public comment period generated multiple speakers. May Hyatt, a Carson Valley Middle School parent, said the school notified families only days before school started of a stricter policy at CVMS that bans yoga pants and requires nontransparent leggings under skirts. "These are 12 to 14 year old children... If they do (check skirts), you will have on your hands multiple sexual harassment lawsuits as well as criminal charges because no person is going to lift up my daughter's skirt or dress to check if there are leggings underneath," she said, arguing the policy unfairly targets female students and differs from neighboring schools.

Other parents and community members echoed concerns about inconsistency; a parent who compared Palo Alto Middle School’s and Carson Valley’s code submitted a side-by-side comparison and said the highlighted differences were substantial (covering shoulders, footwear and leggings). Palo Alto principal Amy Carter called for clarity and consistency: she said site staff enforce the district administrative regulation but that inconsistency among staff and schools complicates implementation and that administrators do not want to spend instruction time policing minor dress-code disputes.

Student representative Prairie Jackson said students want consistent rules and clear enforcement. Trustees and administrators discussed levels of implementation (elementary, middle, high school), definitional clarity (for example, what ‘‘covered’’ means) and the logistics of application in multi-age buildings.

Superintendent Alvarado said he will collaborate with administrators (and consult with each trustee individually in accordance with open-meeting rules) and bring a clarified proposal back to the board. "I could present three different options, but what I plan on doing is collaborating with our administrators... and then bring you back a version that you'd be happy with," he said.

Ending: No policy change was adopted at the meeting. Administration will return with a revised proposal after stakeholder consultation; trustees asked for clearly defined language to ensure consistent site implementation and requested student voice in the review process.