House plans $36M cut in school spending

The Republican-run Iowa House is poised to approve a spending measure that will set school spending next year at more than $36 million less than the current year.

The package crafted for debate in the House would spend $774.3 million on the Department of Education, Board of Regents and a string of other smaller school programs, compared to the $811.2 million being spent this year. It?s also well under the $839.1 million Gov. Terry Branstad requested.

The debate is a far from the last over the issue as lawmakers struggle to assemble a new $6 billion state budget and end this year?s session. Democrats running the Senate have already approved a school spending plan that?s a $115.4 million larger than the one being considered in the House.