BATON ROUGE (AP) - House Republicans started advancing a stalled $3.8 billion Louisiana public school formula that would give pay raises to teachers and block grant increases to school districts.

  

A dispute over including $39 million in flexible dollars for districts has simmered throughout the legislative session. House Republicans backed the teacher raises, but objected to the block grants, questioning if Louisiana could afford the spending.

  

Whether House GOP leaders agree to legislation backed by the Senate, Gov. John Bel Edwards and the state education board won't be decided until the session's final days.

  

House Education Committee Republicans who previously blocked the formula voted for it Thursday. The formula heads next to the House budget committee for further debate.

  

The formula includes a $1,000 teacher pay raise and $500 for school support workers.