TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Republican state senator is suggesting that Kansas move to consolidate public school districts as it works to make education funding fairer.

Sen. Steve Fitzgerald of Leavenworth raised the issue Wednesday during a committee hearing on a bill to redistribute $39 million during the 2016-17 school year to help poor districts.

The bill is a response to a Kansas Supreme Court ruling last month that the state has been unfairly shorting poor school districts on their aid.

A district’s wealth has been measured by its average property value per student. If a small district loses a few students, its wealth can appear to rise significantly.

Fitzgerald said the situation would be less volatile with fewer large school districts. The state now has 286 districts.

Meanwhile, Kansas Senate Ways and Means Committee’s chairman says he hopes a school funding bill will clear the Legislature by the end of next week.

Republican Sen. Ty Masterson of Andover said Wednesday that lawmakers need to respond quickly to a Kansas Supreme Court decision last month.

The court said the state was shorting poor school districts on their state aid. The justices ordered a fix by June 30 and threatened to keep schools closed unless lawmakers meet the deadline.

Masterson drafted a plan to redistribute $39 million among school districts for the 2016-17 school year.