SFO Honorary Retired Status

The SFO Honorary Retired status is for eligible SFOs who have permanently retired in good standing as a school business official (SBO) but wish to remain connected to the industry. Individuals who qualify for status may use the SFO designation followed by “(Retired)” after their name in various communications. The status is renewable every five years.

The SFO Honorary Retired status acknowledges and recognizes retired SFOs for their service and ongoing dedication to certification. This connection is becoming increasingly important as there is a growing rise in the number of retired SFOs who decide to resume work as an SBO in various capacities and stages of their life. However, many SFOs are not aware of federal guidelines that mandate non-usage of a designation, for liability reasons, upon retirement. Failure to comply with these federal regulations may have a negative impact on the SFO program.

The new status is crucial because it offers a retired SFO the opportunity to resume work as an SBO and reactivate their certification without having to retest. This means they may return to SFO active status and resume working full-time or part-time, volunteering, mentoring, or consulting as an SBO by meeting recertification requirements at the time of their reinstatement.

To apply for the SFO Honorary Retired designation:

  • Log into your SFO/Prolydian Dashboard via SFO Access (Prolydian)
  • Enter your Username and Password (your username is your email, and you can change your password if it’s forgotten)
  • Click on “Applications,” then “My Applications” (on the left menu)
  • Select and complete the “SFO Honorary Retired Application (on the right menu)
  • Pay the $150 fee

You must be an active SFO to apply to transition to the retired status. Once approved, your status will remain in effect for five years. You may reapply to maintain your retired status or reactivate it every five years. You also have the option to reactivate your regular active SFO status at any time within the five-year period if you return to employment within the industry.