The Latest on the public school funding debate in Kansas (all times local):

6:06 p.m.

The Kansas Senate has approved a plan for increasing public school funding in hopes of satisfying a court mandate, 31-8.

The House passed the SB 16 earlier in the afternoon.

The measure now heads to the desk of Gov. Laura Kelly.

She issued the following response in regards to Thursday's affirmative votes.

“The Kansas Legislature took an important step today towards addressing the needs of our students, supporting our teachers and fully funding our schools. I’m proud this reasonable, commonsense plan was embraced with bipartisan support today. Kansans want their leaders to work together to move our state forward," said Kelly.

“By investing in our local schools, we can ensure that all Kansas children – no matter who they are or where they live – have the opportunity to succeed,” she said.

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3:45 p.m.

The Kansas House has approved Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's plan for increasing public school funding in hopes of satisfying a court mandate.

The vote Thursday in the GOP-controlled chamber was 76-47. The Senate was expected to vote on the measure later Thursday, and its approval would send it to Kelly.

The bill ties Kelly's proposal to increase spending on public schools by roughly $90 million to several education policy changes favored by GOP lawmakers.

Kelly pushed her funding proposal as a way to end a protracted education funding lawsuit.

Four school districts sued the state over education funding in 2010. The Kansas Supreme Court said in an order last year that a 2018 law promising additional funding increases wasn't sufficient because it hadn't accounted for inflation.

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1:10 p.m.

The Republican-led Legislature in Kansas is preparing to give its final approval to a public school funding increase that the state's Democratic governor is pushing as the way to end a protracted education funding lawsuit.

But lawmakers aren't sure that it's enough money to do the job.

Lawmakers expected to take up-or-down votes Thursday in both the House and Senate on a bill containing Gov. Laura Kelly's proposal for an increase of roughly $90 million a year. The measure ties the new money to several education policy changes favored by GOP lawmakers.

Four school districts sued the state over education funding in 2010. The Kansas Supreme Court said in an order last year that a 2018 law promising additional funding increases wasn't sufficient because it hadn't accounted for inflation.

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