The Minnesota Senate has passed a bill that would let schools lay off teachers based on performance. The bill passed on a 36-26 vote. Local Area State Senator Gary Dahms of Redwood Falls says it will let school districts make layoff decisions based on teacher performance rather than seniority, giving students the best education possible. Current state law requires that schools only consider teacher seniority, unless individual districts negotiate their own arrangements to consider other factors. There was some concern that the right evaluation tools are not in place, and that a state teacher evaluation system being developed needs more time. The House passed a similar bill earlier this month.