HELENA (AP) - The governor's school funding proposal chugged through the Legislature on the first day of the special session Wednesday, passing a major hurdle in the House and garnering bipartisan support in the Senate despite opposition from most school groups.

The evenly split House approved the spending portion of the $64.5 million bill 51-49 after a lengthy debate, with Rep. Bernie Olson, R-Lakeside, a retired teacher, casting the lone Republican vote in favor of the plan.

Earlier that evening, the Senate Education Committee endorsed the policy side of the governor's proposal 10-1, and sent it to the full Senate to be voted on Thursday. Approval is almost certain, with Democrats holding a 27-23 advantage there.

"It was huge. It was more than a giant step," Gov. Brian Schweitzer said of Wednesday's action on his plan. "It demonstrated that we have bipartisan support both in the Senate and the House for this bill. It is a great step."

But support wasn't so marked earlier in the day. A majority of school groups and superintendents panned Schweitzer's proposal at a hearing, lining up instead behind a Republican plan that calls for more ongoing money and property tax relief.

Dave Shreve, Forsyth schools superintendent, and other officials called Schweitzer's proposal inadequate and said it doesn't meet the true needs of schools or make up for years of underfunding. House Republicans echoed those sentiments Wednesday night.

"Folks, we've built a bridge part way," Shreve told the Senate Education Committee. "Let's build it the rest of the way."

Shreve joined other members of the Montana Quality Education Coalition in calling for at least $62 million in "ongoing" school funding _ additional money that would be available each year. The governor's proposal includes $31 million in ongoing money, while a plan by Rep. Bill Glaser, R-Huntley, contains $67 million.

Schweitzer met with Democrats and MQEC members Tuesday in an effort to garner support for his plan, asking them to stick with him and stand behind his vision.

Eric Feaver, president of the union MEA-MFT, spoke in support of the governor's bill, as did several other education groups and officials, but many asked the committee to consider adding $15 million in amendments that Superintendent of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch has proposed. The committee later endorsed several of the amendments, and Schweitzer said late Wednesday he would consider them if approved.

"We see this as a good step and recognize that the governor's proposal certainly is not a final step, but we think it's a big step in the right direction," said Lynda Brannon of the Indian Impact Schools of Montana.

The Montana School Boards Association and other groups backed Glaser's proposal in the House Education Committee, calling it a good way to make headway on remaining school funding shortfalls and give local taxpayers a break.

Along with the $67 million for schools, Glaser's bill also calls for $23 million in tax relief by increasing the state's share of school funding from 44.7 percent to 52 percent. It does not include money for Indian Education for All, as the governor's proposal does. Indian Education for All is a state mandate to provide education about the state's American Indian tribes and history.

"This is the place we can put sustainable school funding and sustainable property tax relief," said Lance Melton, MTSBA's executive director.

The House Education Committee was expected to vote Thursday on Glaser's proposal and another by Rep. Pat Wagman, R-Livingston, which calls for $66 million for schools and $63 million in property tax relief and stresses reform and accountability.

"Other plans just polish the apple," Wagman said.