Naming of Facility

San Francisco Unified School District and County Office of Education

Administrative Regulation 7310

Naming of Facility 

This Administrative Regulation applies to the San Francisco Unified School District and the County Office of Education.

Advisory Committee

Prior to opening a new school in the District or renaming an existing school, the Superintendent or the Board of Education may appoint an advisory committee to recommend one or more school names to the Board for its consideration. Members of of the public who wish to rename an existing school, may request that the Superintendent appoint an advisory committee for this purpose. Any name recommended by the advisory committee or the Superintendent must be consistent with criteria established in the Board Policy.

Once an advisory committee is created pursuant to this regulation, it shall hold at least three community meetings: one to alert the community that a naming process has begun, another to solicit potential names, and another to receive feedback on what potential names that the committee is considering. The chair of the advisory committee shall ensure that an agenda for each meeting is publicly posted at least 72 hours in advance on the District’s website as well as the school’s website. The advisory committee chair shall work with the District’s Communications Office to post the agendas on the District website and the school principal to post the agendas on the school site. 

For the advisory committee to be able to recommend a name to the Board, at least three-fourths of all advisory committee members must vote to recommend the name. The advisory committee shall bring forward any name recommendations to the Superintendent within six months of its creation. The Superintendent shall work with the chair of the advisory committee to prepare a Resolution for the Board’s consideration. The Resolution shall contain findings as to the following criteria as set forth in the Board Policy:

1. That the individual or entity for whom it is proposed that the facility be named has made outstanding contributions to the school community; and/or 
2. That the individual or entity for whom it is proposed that the facility be named has made made contributions of statewide, national, or worldwide significance; and/or
3. That the geographic area for which it is proposed that the facility be named is an area in which the school or building is located.

The Resolution shall also set forth evidence that the advisory committee, if established, has complied with the requirements of this regulation:

1. That the advisory committee held noticed public meetings on at least three occasions;
2. That the advisory committee posted its agenda on both the District and school websites at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting; and
3. That at least three-fourths of the advisory committee members voted to recommend the proposed facility name to the Board. 

If no such recommendations are brought forward by a vote of three-fourths of the advisory committee, the Superintendent shall bring forward recommendations to the Board. 

Please note that compare references, or “cf”, refer to CSBA model policies and do not necessarily indicate that the San Francisco Unified School District has adopted the referenced policy.