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By JOHN MILBURN
Associated Press Writer

TOPEKA - School finance proposals continue to sprout in the Statehouse like dandelions, and legislators keep mowing them down.

Negotiators were hoping the latest proposal, agreed to Tuesday morning, would be the last, allowing legislators to end the 2006 session.

The plan to increase school funding by $541 million over three years is the same dollar amount senators approved in late April, near the start of the wrap-up session. However, the House plan differs in how the money is spent and includes several provisions to improve flexibility and accountability.

Rep. Kathe Decker, lead House negotiator, said the plan emerged Monday as a moderate GOP and Democratic coalition crumbled.

''There have been some people who perceived that if they held out for everything they would get nothing,'' said Decker, R-Clay Center. ''We have some commitments to vote for it.''

The House planned to vote on the agreement later Tuesday, and passage would send it to the Senate. Senators rejected the previous three-year deal, worth $575 million, on a 22-16 vote.

''I think the proposal looks very promising,'' said Sen. Jean Schodorf, R-Wichita and lead Senate negotiator. ''They seem to think they have the votes to pass this.''

Schodorf said the vote would be close in the Senate, but that House passage would put pressure on senators to conclude their debate on school finance and go home after 14 days of the wrap-up session.

''Right now, I don't know if it will pass the Senate,'' Schodorf said.

A key question is whether Johnson County legislators think it gives their districts enough property tax authority, going from 27 percent of their general fund budgets in the current to year to 30 percent next year and 31 percent in the second and third years. The increases allow districts to supplement their state aid to provide additional programs.

The newest package had many provisions sought by House Democrats to increase funding for students at risk of failing academically. It retained policy that conservatives thought important for keeping schools accountable. The total dollar amount also included $75 million for teacher pensions, as did the Senate figure.

Supporters said the three-year concept was the best strategy to address a Kansas Supreme Court mandate to increase school spending, as well as two cost studies in recent years identifying the needs of students.

However, some conservatives think any three-year package is too rich for the state to afford, hoping for a smaller amount of money over no more than two years. They point to new budget projections showing the state's expenditures for the next three years, tax cuts and school spending resulting in barrels of red ink.

''It's the third year that's killing us. It's almost like we're doing this on purpose,'' said Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita, who added that he would support a two-year plan and come back in future years to consider more money for schools.

House Majority Leader Clay Aurand also was skeptical that the new offer would pass, let alone survive intact for three years, given the state's financial prognosis.

''People don't seem to care that we can't afford it,'' said Aurand, R-Courtland. ''Apparently, people are deluding them themselves to vote for it. I don't know anybody who thinks we can afford that thing in the third year.

''I don't get it.''

Aurand said the coalition's support for the package indicated that at least some legislators are realizing that the state has limited resources.

''Most of the coalition will vote for it. They're the ones most immune from reality. Maybe it's becoming a little clearer,'' he said.