Since 2022, educators, parents, and advocates have successfully pressured the legislature to override the outdated Aggregate Expenditure Limit, a relic from 1980 that threatened to slash over a billion dollars from public schools. But year-to-year overrides are no way to run a school system, and the threat of catastrophic mid-year cuts remains.

Brett’s plan to permanently fix the AEL offers long-term stability and removes this arbitrary ceiling once and for all:

Update the AEL to Reflect Modern Costs: The AEL is a 1980 voter‑approved cap on school spending. Every year, legislators must vote to override it or schools face cuts approaching $1.4 billion. This cap was designed for a very different education system, before computers, intensive special education, and mandated student supports.

• Brett will introduce legislation to reset the AEL’s base year to reflect today’s costs and index it for inflation, technology, and student growth.

This ensures the cap rises in tandem with actual expenses.

Introduce Weighted Student Counts and Expand Exemptions: Arizona’s limit is based on raw student counts and a simplistic inflation adjustment.

• Brett will push for a weighted student formula within the AEL that accounts for special education, English learners, small and rural schools, and grade‑level differences.

• He will also argue for exempting from the limit certain categories, federal grants, voter‑approved overrides, Prop 301 sales‑tax funds, and emergency relief dollars.

These funds should not count against the cap because they are intended for specific purposes and do not increase the tax burden.

Put a Permanent Fix on the Ballot: Continuing to override the AEL year after year creates uncertainty for districts, which must plan for potential mid‑year cuts.

• To stabilize budgets, Brett will champion a ballot referral asking voters to permanently fix the AEL. Options include resetting the limit, creating a new spending formula, or eliminating the cap.

• Brett will work with educators, economists, and community members to craft a proposal that reflects modern educational needs while maintaining fiscal responsibility.