Board renews Academy for Technology and the Classics charter and approves its 2025-26 operating budget

The Santa Fe Public Schools Board of Education approved a five-year renewal contract for the Academy for Technology and the Classics (ATC) and voted to accept ATC's FY2025-26 operating budget at its May 8 meeting.

Chief of Staff Howard Exner summarized the multi-month negotiations between the district and ATC leadership, saying teams updated dated contract language, clarified student-support services, added transportation and student-nutrition provisions and aligned contract requirements with current program operations. "Our recommendation is that you approve the new five-year contract between SFPS and ATC," Exner told the board; the contract term presented runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030.

Principal Jason Morgan, ATC's school leader, joined district staff to present the charter school's operating budget. District Deputy CFO Beverly Aguilar reviewed ATC's financials and said staff considered ATC financially sustainable. Aguilar noted ATC ended the prior year with a temporary negative cash balance because the school awaited state reimbursement requests (RFRs) and that those funds were received shortly after July 1. Board members asked about the school's projected cash position; Morgan said the projected cash balance represents roughly 7% of ATC's overall budget and enrollment is expected to be stable for 2025-26.

The board approved the contract renewal by voice vote and then unanimously approved ATC's operating budget for 2025-26. Both items passed without recorded opposing votes.

The ATC renewal includes updated operational details and reflects district oversight responsibilities; district staff and ATC counsel finalized edits on academic programming language, transportation, student nutrition and student supports before bringing the agreement to the board.

Board members thanked ATC leadership and district staff for the negotiations and financial reviews that preceded the approvals.