Arizona’s Constitutional Aggregate Expenditure Limit (AEL)

Why Is AEL Important?

If public school expenditures exceed the AEL, and the Arizona Legislature refuses to act by March 1, 2022, then school districts will be forced to cut their budgets for the current school year by April 1, 2022.

How Is the AEL Calculated?

The Economic Estimates Commission is tasked with calculating the AEL. The AEL is based on 1980 base-level funding and increases according to student counts and inflation.

What Is Impacted by the AEL?

• Maintenance and Operations
• District Additional Assistance
• Desegregation Funding
• Classroom Site Fund
• Results Based Funding
• School Facilities
• Transportation Funding

What Happens if AEL Is NOT Overridden?

If the Arizona Legislature fails to override the AEL by March 1, 2022, Arizona public school districts will be forced to cut $1.15 billion (15.26%) from their budgets, while charter schools will be unaffected. This will be a catastrophic cut to education funding and will lead to major staff layoffs and operation cuts in the current school year.

What Can be Done to Address the AEL?

The Arizona Legislature must pass a resolution to override the AEL. A two-thirds majority vote of in both the Arizona House and Senate is needed. The Legislature chose to override the AEL twice in the past—once in 2002 and again in 2008.

Join us at the Capitol on Presidents' Day.

AEA toolkit with list of actions you can take.

Districts' At-Risk Budgeted Expenditures

What Is Your District Planning?

Chandler Unified

Gilbert Unified

Mesa Public Schools

Scottsdale Unified