The governor's Race to the Top bill cleared the state Senate on Thursday, but without the changes many think are crucial for Washington state to have any chance of winning the high-profile education competition.

The senators rejected an amendment that called for evaluating teachers in part based on how much their students achieve. The bill instead says that student growth should be used only when the data is available and appropriate. Senators also turned down a proposal to create a new, statewide evaluation system for teachers and principals, rather than having each district create its own.

The lawmakers also removed an earlier amendment approved in committee that would have allowed principals to remove any teacher who received an unsatisfactory evaluation and failed to improve within three years.

The bill, Second Substitute Senate Bill 6696, now goes to the House, where some of these issues will be argued again.

Washington state could receive up to $250 million in the Race to the Top competition. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has said the winners will be states willing and able to take the kind of bold steps the Obama administration thinks will lead to higher achievement.

Forty states and the District of Columbia entered the first round of the competition last month. Washington plans to submit its application in round two in June.