The Fort Dodge Republican said the bill shifts “several million dollars” from urban school districts to suburban and rural districts to help cover their transportation costs. He said the Fort Dodge, Southeast Valley, Manson Northwest Webster and Pocahontas Area school districts would see some financial help for their costs of running school buses over long distances.

“They will all receive additional funds for transportation equity,” he said.

The bill increases State Supplemental Aid to schools by 2 percent or $105 million.

It boosts the basic state aid to school districts to $8,148 per student.

The House of Representatives approved it on Feb. 19. State representatives Ann Meyer, R-Fort Dodge, and Wendy Larson, R- Odebolt, voted in favor of it.

The state Senate approved the bill on Monday, with Kraayenbrink voting yes.

He had supported an earlier school funding bill passed by the Senate that included a 1.75 percent increase of about $100 million.

Kraayenbrink said the 2 percent increase was recommended by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

“I think we kind of settled on where the governor was,” he said.

“I think we’re happy with the end product,” he added. “It was a compromise and no one got everything they wanted.”

The bill now awaits action by Reynolds.