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Assembly Republicans called Tuesday for about $500 million more in K-12 school aid over the next two years, far short of the $1.4 billion boost proposed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

The amount includes a $50 million boost to educate children with special needs, a 13.5% increase over current levels, but less than a tenth of Evers’ proposed increase.

With a pivotal committee vote scheduled for Thursday, Assembly Republicans have not yet reached accord with their Senate colleagues on how the state should fund schools for the next two years. But Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said Wednesday he thinks such a deal is close at hand.

The Assembly GOP plan for the next state schools budget calls for increasing state funding to districts for mental health services by $23 million and for high-cost transportation aid by about $5 million, lawmakers said Wednesday.

“This will be the highest level of investment that we have ever made in our public schools in the history of Wisconsin,” Vos said.