Introduction
Education plays a crucial role in shaping both individual and societal development. As a result, schools are expected to provide a dynamic and nurturing environment that fosters students' talents. Achieving these educational goals requires school administration to embrace decentralized, participatory, and flexible decision-making approaches that create an engaging learning space for administrators, teachers, and students (Rezaei Kalantari et al., 2011). One aspect of school life that has sparked debate is the use of uniforms. While many schools enforce uniformity in students' attire, opinions differ on its impact. Psychologists argue that uniform colors can have both positive and negative effects on students. Additionally, school administrators often impose dress codes based on cultural traditions and personal preferences, sometimes disregarding the psychological effects of color choices (Rajaei, 2018).
Beyond dress codes, education plays a vital role in shaping national identity. A strong national identity emerges when students internalize societal norms, values, and cultural symbols, leading to social cohesion (Hansenne & Bianchi, 2009). The education system must therefore instill national identity by integrating relevant cultural elements into learning environments (Ansari, 2013). In Iran, recent educational reforms have emphasized the need for transformation, addressing the limitations of the existing system to better align with national, cultural, and societal needs. This led to the approval of the Fundamental Transformation Document in Education in 2011 (Mirmohammadi, 2004). Given this context, this study explores the role of ethnic and indigenous elements in shaping school uniform standards for elementary students. It seeks to answer the question:

What ethnic and indigenous elements should be considered in developing appropriate clothing patterns for elementary school students?

 
Method
This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative research techniques. In the first phase, qualitative content analysis was conducted using thematic analysis and semi-structured interviews to explore the research questions. Thematic analysis involved reducing, categorizing, summarizing, and reconstructing interview data to extract key concepts. A total of 23 interviews were conducted with administrators, teachers, parents, and education experts. The findings identified seven main components related to ethnic and indigenous elements in developing clothing standards for elementary school students. In the second phase, a quantitative survey was conducted among elementary school teachers and principals in Bojnourd. From a total population of 260 individuals, 165 participants were selected using non-probability sampling based on the Krejcie and Morgan (1972) table. Data collection was carried out using a researcher-designed questionnaire consisting of 36 questions across seven key dimensions: ethnic and local customs, cultural heritage, education and advertising, manner of dressing, fashion competition and design, laws and regulations and incentive programs. To ensure validity, the questionnaire underwent content validation by field experts. Reliability was assessed by distributing 30 pilot questionnaires, and after achieving a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.86, the questionnaire was deemed reliable and subsequently administered to the full sample. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 24 software.
 
Findings and Conclusion
This research identified ethnic and indigenous influences in the development of suitable clothing patterns for elementary school students. The findings from the first question indicated that incorporating ethnic and local customs and traditions is effective in creating appropriate clothing standards and patterns for elementary school students. This conclusion aligns with the research results of Habibzadeh et al. (2015), Mir Taheri and Salehi (2015), Rezaei Kalantari et al. (2011), Talebi (2008), Saffarheidari et al. (2010), Shamshiri (2008), Shiri (2006), Kim (2004), Gelisli & Kazykhankyzy (2019), Parmenter (1999), and Siriwardena (2002). The findings from the second question showed that utilizing cultural heritage plays a significant role in developing appropriate clothing standards and patterns for elementary school students. The results of the third question indicated that education and advertising are effective tools in shaping suitable clothing standards and patterns. The fourth question revealed that the way people dress does not have a significant impact on the development of clothing standards for elementary school students. The fifth question demonstrated that competition and fashion design do not influence the development of appropriate clothing patterns for elementary school students. The findings from the sixth question revealed that laws and regulations contribute to the development of appropriate clothing standards for elementary school students. Finally, the results of the seventh question indicated that incentive programs are ineffective in developing appropriate clothing standards and patterns for elementary school students.
It is essential for the education system to gain a proper understanding of the characteristics, issues, dimensions, and strengths of ethnic cultures in order to adjust the goals, structure, materials, and content of the educational system accordingly. Therefore, integrating ethnic cultural values into curricula provides students with an opportunity to recognize and appreciate these valuable cultural aspects.