BOSTON--The Massachusetts House of Representatives yesterday rejected a budget amendment that would have granted millions of dollars to poorer school districts.

Continuing a hard-line stance against proposals for a tax increase, lawmakers defeated by an 82-72 vote a $31 million proposal for Equal Educational Opportunity (EEO) grants.

"EEO grants were designed to help those towns that don't do as much in education as some others do," said Rep. William B. Vernon (R-Mansfield). "We have funded these grants, and they are working. We should continue to live up to our commitment and continue trying to bring up basic skills scores."

The `Carrot'

School districts with direct nonadministrative costs that are less than 85 percent of the state average receive EEO grants.

House Chair of the Education Committee Rep. Nicholas A. Paleologos (D-Woburn), a co-sponsor of the amendment, sought the increase in EEO funding, saying the grants were the state's major "carrot" in enticing communities to improve their schools.

But House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard A. Voke (D-Chelsea), the architect of the proposed $12.3 billion spending plan said he opposed the grant increase because it "guarantees that [lawmakers] will have to vote for a tax increase."

The House budget suggested appropriating $108 million for EEO grants, $2 million less than this fiscal year.

Gov. Michael S. Dukakis proposed $139 million in EEO funding. His $12.9 billion budget has been brushed aside by the House because it relies on a massive tax hike.

However, the House did increase funding for other educational expenditures by $6 million. Five million dollars was earmarked for the construction of new school buildings, and $900,000 was restored to the Ways and Means appropriation for gifted and talented programs.

No Entrance

Last Friday, the House turned down a proposal to grant an additional $15.7 million to the state's higher education budget. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Stanley C. Rosenberg (D-Amherst), would have allowed the 2000 academically eligible students turned away from state colleges and universities this year to attend them next year.

After a week of deliberations, the House has made few changes to the budget, barely altering the bottom line. The Senate will begin debate on the budget when the House completes its version.