(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the Iowa Senate are proposing a two percent increase in state per pupil funding for pubic schools, the same level Governor Reynolds proposed last month. It would amount to about 79-hundred dollars per student — and the parents of private school students who’ve signed up for state tuition assistance would get that amount, too. Senate President Amy Sinclair says the goal is to get the plan enacted by late next week.  “We believe that we should do timely funding of our school districts so that they know what numbers they’re working with,” Sinclair says, “so they can finish their budgets on time.” School districts must hold public hearings on budget plans and school boards must adopt a budget for the next academic year by April 30th.

Republicans in the Iowa House, led by Speaker Pat Grassley, have not released a proposal on per pupil funding for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. “We’re waiting to see whether the Senate can get us that bill,” Grassley says. “Right now our conversations are looking at what additional things we may have interest in.” Grassley suggests House Republicans may propose additional state funding for rural school districts with long bus routes. Democrats say schools should get a five percent boost in per pupil spending. Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner says due to the state’s per pupil funding formula, schools with declining enrollment will take a hit.

“Governor Reynolds and Republican lawmakers have proposed a school funding number that would force many Iowa schools into significant budget cuts,” she said, “resulting in fully half of our school districts getting less funding…a first that we do not want to have.”

Democrats say schools need a five percent increase in per pupil funding. Weiner says that would be a 315 MILLION dollar increase — the same amount the state sent this year to the Education Savings Accounts for private school students.