HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s state House Republican majority expected today to introduce a counterproposal to Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget plan in an effort to soften some of the governor’s cuts in education, and offset it by cutting money from public welfare programs.

Details were not available this morning, but a House Republican spokesman said the plan would ease some of Corbett’s proposed cuts in education by restoring $380 million to 18 state-supported universities and $210 million to public schools.

Corbett had proposed slashing more than $1.6 billion for public schools and the 18 universities, drawing criticism from both Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature.

Many of the state’s school districts, particularly the poorest ones, are preparing to raise taxes, layoff staff, end programs or close buildings, among other measures to absorb expected cuts in state aid.

University leaders have also warned about belt-tightening, including the potential that tuition would have to rise.

Like Corbett’s plan, the House GOP counterproposal would budget $27.3 billion for the 2011-12 fiscal year that begins July 1, and it would not raise any taxes.

House Republicans would offset their plan to ease some of Corbett’s cuts in education by taking $470 million from programs in the Department of Public Welfare, which oversees about $11 billion in social service and health care programs for the poor, children, disabled and elderly.