The GOP proposals increase spending of state tax money on higher education and K-12 education by about 10 percent each over the next two years.
The K-12 proposal falls about $100 million short of Gov. Brian Schweitzer's plans, and does not include money for the voluntary all-day kindergarten Schweitzer is pushing for.
Democrats stuck to their plan and blasted the measures for dismissing 30 years of budget tradition.
Rep. Dan Villa, D-Anaconda, took a jab at the Republican chairman of the appropriations committee who has taken credit for the GOP budget measures, saying "Democracy doesn't take place in a basement in Bozeman."
Appropriations chairman Rep. John Sinrud, R-Bozeman, called the assertion "a joke."
"We can go ahead and not like the process, just like a little kid who sits in the corner not playing the game because he doesn't get his way," he responded. "I at least want to participate in the process rather than sitting in a corner."
House Minority Whip Rep. Art Noonan, D-Butte, said Democrats "are not little children."
"We will not be bullied in this process," he said. "So if there is somebody saying 'play our way or well take our ball and go home,' it's not this side of the aisle."
Villa blamed the cuts in the governor's spending requests on the more conservative members of the chamber.
"We continue to refuse to say no to the margins that continue to push us farther and farther," he said.
The two education bills were not changed much on the floor, but were amended to move the Indian Education for All program from the Office of Public Instruction to local school boards.
Democrats complained the money would amount to little in the way of American Indian curriculum after being spread around to school districts.
The contentious debate was slated to continue with votes on other budget pieces.
Rep. Bill Glaser, R-Huntley, said the debate had become "dysfunctional," but predicted both sides would eventually reach an agreement. The budget heads to the Democrat-controlled Senate once the House finishes its work.
"I'm sure we'll get to the point where we can all work together," he said.
The Republican budget bills are House bills 804-809.
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