Education Commissioner Susan Gendron has recommended that the state boost school funding by $85 million next year.

Her proposal mirrors the one Gov. John Baldacci made earlier this month.

Gendron made her recommendation during the State Board of Education meeting held Wednesday. She suggested boosting state aid to schools from $739 million to $824 million for fiscal year 2006. If passed by the Legislature, it would be the largest dollar increase in state aid to schools ever, said Jim Rier, a finance specialist for the Maine Department of Education.

Earlier this month, Baldacci unveiled a plan to increase state aid to schools to $824 million next year and $892 million the year after that. Under that plan, municipalities would have to use 90 percent of the increased aid to lower property taxes.

The Legislature has put the plan on the fast track and is hoping to vote on it before Jan. 20.

Even if the new funding passes, it is unclear how local school systems would fare. State aid is based on a complex formula that includes school enrollment, a town’s tax rate and a town’s valuation. The state Department of Education hopes to estimate each town’s potential funding in the next couple of weeks.