Board reallocates 2016 bond funds to Buena Vista Horace Mann modernization, holds part of green schoolyards money pending design

The San Francisco Board of Education voted Oct. 26 to adopt a second amended resolution reallocating 2016 general obligation bond funds to prioritize a modernization project for Buena Vista Horace Mann (BVHM), while preserving a portion of funds intended for district green outdoor learning projects until the BVHM scope is defined.

The board’s action follows weeks of community advocacy. Parents, teachers and students testified during a lengthy public comment period about ongoing and severe facility problems at BVHM, including ceiling tiles falling, recurring flooding and sewage issues, pest infestations and at least one reported electrical incident. ‘‘Our children are attending school in a building that is deferring the quality of their lives,’’ said Sarah Mokhtari Fox, an eighth‑grade teacher at BVHM.

Staff and commissioners described the vote as a compromise between urgent local needs and districtwide commitments. Chief facilities staff told the board they do not yet have complete design information for BVHM and recommended that the board avoid a fixed hard cap until sufficient design work is finished. The second amended resolution adopted by the board directs staff to proceed with design work, return to the board before the end of the school year with a recommended scope, budget and timeline for the BVHM modernization, and requires that no more than a specified amount of the Green Schoolyards allocation be spent before the BVHM presentation is made.

Commissioners debated both the technical risks and political implications of moving funds. Commissioner Collins said the district must ‘‘recalibrate’’ longstanding efforts begun before the pandemic and make sure previously passed resolutions are implemented. Chief facilities staff noted BVHM is an older, structurally complex campus that requires careful early design work to estimate costs accurately.

The board recorded the roll‑call vote after amendments were considered; the second amended resolution passed with a majority recorded in the meeting roll call. Following the vote, staff said they will begin procuring items already authorized (including additional portable air cleaners) and begin a design partnership with the BVHM community and architects as the resolution requires.

What happens next

Staff must return to the board with a BVHM modernization scope, budget and timeline after sufficient design work. The resolution also preserves portions of the Green Schoolyards budget so the board may consider reallocating funds later if BVHM’s design shows a higher need; any further reallocation would require board action. Staff and the board said they will use a public process with community input while preparing the design and cost estimates.

Why it matters

Bond reallocation decisions determine which school sites receive capital investments. BVHM parents and staff framed their request as an emergency: teachers and community members described repeated service outages and health hazards. At the same time, other advocates warned that cutting or indefinitely delaying major arts‑project work could erode public trust and complicate future bond efforts. The board’s directive attempts to balance urgent site conditions with the need for well‑scoped capital planning.

Provenance

Key discussion and the vote occurred during the item on reallocating 2016 general obligation bond funds (agenda Item under Section I). Public testimony in support of BVHM and recorded votes appear between SEG 2676–SEG 3270 and SEG 3439–SEG 4254 in the transcript.

Speakers quoted or paraphrased: Chief Facilities staff, Commissioner Collins, BVHM teacher Sarah Mokhtari Fox, BVHM parents (public commenters).