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Board reaffirms ASBA policy priorities; declines to add separate language on AEL linkage
Summary
The board reaffirmed five policy priorities for submission to the Arizona School Boards Association (ASBA) 2026 political agenda and discussed, but did not add, a separate proposal about how the state’s aggregate expenditure limit (AEL) should be lifted.
The Paradise Valley Unified School District Governing Board voted unanimously to submit its policy priorities to the Arizona School Boards Association (ASBA) for the 2026 political agenda and designated a board member to file the submission.
Why it matters: ASBA’s political agenda collects district priorities for state-level advocacy; districts submit their top priorities for inclusion in the statewide slate.
What was reaffirmed: The board reaffirmed five priorities carried from the 2025 ASBA agenda including maximizing state funding to adequately and equitably fund district schools; preserving and strengthening local control (including language about override budget increases and opposing legislation that curtails local control over curriculum); redefining the role and purpose of standardized testing and developing meaningful assessments; federal advocacy for fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); and promoting programs to increase academic achievement (examples discussed included Project Momentum and ACT prep).
Discussion: Board Member Tony Pantera asked to add a new priority that would request lifting the state aggregate expenditure limit (AEL) without tying that relief to other legislation. Board members debated whether that wording was necessary; some members noted an existing priority calls for repeal or referral of the AEL and preferred to keep the stronger repeal language rather than propose separate language to request lifting without linkage. The board ultimately kept the previously discussed priorities and did not add Pantera’s alternate wording.
Administrative action: The board moved to submit the prioritized issues and designated Mrs. Sandra Christiansen to enter the submission on behalf of the governing board. The motion passed unanimously.
The vote: Motion to submit the priority issues for consideration for the 2026 ASBA political agenda and designate Mrs. Sandra Christiansen to enter the submission — motion passed unanimously.
