File: ACA - Name Changes

This policy outlines the process by which a student may change the name they are referred to at school to align with their gender identity. Students may choose to be identified in school by the chosen name that they have designated in accordance with this policy, and may request a change to their legal name or gender on their official student record through the process detailed in regulation JRA/JRC-R.

Definitions

a.  "Chosen Name" as defined in Colorado law, is a name a student requests to be known as that differs from the student's legal name, to reflect the student's gender identity.

b.  "Gender Identity" means an individual's innate sense of the individual's own gender, which may or may not correspond with the individual's sex assigned at birth

c.  "Legal Name" is an individual's legal name as it appears on official school records and government documents such as licenses, passports, and birth certificate.

Use of a Chosen Name

A request to use a chosen name should be made to the building administrator or the Superintendent. Upon receipt of such a request, the individual receiving the request, or their designee, will work with the student and their parent/guardian, if appropriate, to accomplish the transition to their chosen name.

Students will not be required to provide proof of a legal name change to select a chosen name at school and during extracurricular activities.

The district reserves the right to deny the use of a chosen name that is vulgar, offensive, obscene and/or is intended to be used to intimidate, harass or annoy rather than as an expression of the student's gender identity.

Absent exceptional circumstances, as determined by the Superintendent or designee, a student will not be allowed to change their chosen name more than one time during the school year.

The knowing or intentional refusal to use a student's chosen name by any personnel who are informed about a student's request to use their chosen name is discriminatory and is prohibited under this policy and r Colorado law.

Name Changes on Official Student Records

The district is required to maintain a permanent student record ("official record") that includes a student's name and gender. Students or parents who wish to alter the student's legal name or gender on their official record must follow the process provided in JRA/JRC-R. The district will not process a name change on a student's official record without parental consent unless the student is 18 years or olderor a court order.

Disclosure to Third Parties

Information about a transgender student's gender identity, legal name, or sex assigned at birth is confidential personally identifiable information. Disclosing transgender status to students, staff, or third parties may violate privacy laws, such as the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Accordingly, the district will work with students and their families to keep personally identifiable information related to gender identity confidential in accordance with state and federal privacy laws.

LEGAL REFS.:  34 C.F.R. §99.1 et seq. (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations)

34 C.F.R. §99.20(d) (parents and students have the right to request a school change name and gender marker on their record if they feel it is incorrect, misleading, or violates privacy, and schools must provide parents with an opportunity to inspect and review educational records)

34 C.F.R. §99.31 (permitted reasons for disclosure of student records)

3 C.C.R. 708-1:81.6(A)(4) (sexual orientation harassment is deliberately misusing an individual's preferred name, form of address, or gender-related pronouns)

C.R.S. 22-1-145 (knowing or intentional failure to use a chosen name is discriminatory, and schools required to use a student's chosen name and adopt a policy on the subject)

C.R.S. 22-1-145 (b) (gender identity means an individual's innate sense of the individual's own gender, which may or may not correspond with the individual's sex assigned at birth).

CROSS REFS.:  AC, Nondiscrimination/Equal Opportunity

JRA/JRC, Student Records/Release of Information on Students

JRA/JRC-R, Student Records/Release of Information on Students

Adopted:  October 21, 2024