Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is calling on legislators to act quickly on the issue of school finance when they return to session Wednesday.

But Sen. Mark Buhler, R-Lawrence, doesn’t think that’s likely.

“Like paint dries,” Buhler said. “That’s how it’s going to go.”

School funding is perhaps the most pressing issue awaiting legislators when they return. Education supporters are working on grassroots lobbying efforts — including a rally Wednesday at the Capitol — to push for increased funding.

The House has approved several funding bills, including one shortly before adjourning April 2 that would have raised $150 million in sales and income taxes for schools. That plan would have resulted in about $3 million in additional funding for Lawrence public schools.

But the Senate has rejected six school funding plans. Buhler said he expected a Senate plan to be approved and forwarded to the House, but he didn’t expect the process to move quickly.

Sen. Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, has floated a plan that would raise $93 million for schools by increasing the state sales tax by one-tenth of a cent and the state income tax by 3 percent.

Sebelius on Monday said she hoped the Senate would adopt a plan Wednesday or Thursday, and then the House and Senate could start negotiations on a final proposal. She also said she wouldn’t hesitate to call a special session if lawmakers failed to approve a funding increase.

A state judge has declared the $2.6 billion school finance system unconstitutional because of underfunding, especially in districts with high minority student populations.

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“Schools really need some infusion of resources this year, and we need to send a message to the Supreme Court that we are very serious about responding to the lawsuit,” Sebelius said. “So until that job is done, I’m here. I hang out here. I’m staying until the work is done.”

Advocates for school funding also plan to keep pushing their cause as the Legislature reconvenes. Richard Heckler, who organized the local Schoolfunders group last year, said he planned to attend a rally at noon Wednesday at the Capitol.

“They have a pattern of not doing anything,” he said. “What have you got to lose? I think you have to keep putting pressure on them.”

Adela Solis, a fourth-grade teacher at Cordley School, said she also planned to attend.

If no tax increase is approved, she said, “we’ll be in the same mess we’ve been in for quite some time,” with district cuts necessary to pay for increases in insurance, salaries and transportation, among other items.

Lawrence Supt. Randy Weseman said he hoped the Senate would revive debate of House Bill 2940, the bill proposed by Rep. Bill Kassebaum, R-Burdick, that would have raised more than $150 million for schools.

But don’t expect to see Weseman in the Capitol in upcoming weeks.

“I think everything I needed to say has been said over the course of 80 days,” he said, referring to the legislative session. “You know the expression the ball is in their court? It really is.”