Update, Wednesday, 11:55 a.m.

DENVER (AP) -- The House has passed a bill to change the way teachers earn and keep tenure.

The House backed the bill in a 36-29 vote Wednesday, the final day of the session.

Democratic Sen. Michael Johnston says he'll ask the Senate to agree to the House version. That would send the bill to Gov. Bill Ritter, who supports the bill.

Lawmakers spent nearly five hours arguing about the bill late Tuesday but the final vote came with no comment.

Former teachers serving in the House have been vocal opponents of the bill, which backers say will help Colorado's chances of winning federal education reform funding.

Democratic Rep. Nancy Todd says the bill has sent a message to teachers that education is "all up to them."

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Original story

DENVER (AP) — A proposal to change the way teachers earn and keep tenure appears likely to pass before lawmakers adjourn for the year.

The bill passed an initial vote in the House late Tuesday by a vote of 36-29. It came about 45 minutes before the midnight deadline to keep the bill alive for another vote on Wednesday, the final day of the legislative session.

Former teachers serving in the House have been vocal opponents of the bill. Democratic Rep. Nancy Todd of Aurora told lawmakers the bill has sent a message to teachers that education is "all up to them"

But Democratic Rep. Christine Scanlan of Silverthorne, said the current system isn't working, pointing to the 50 percent dropout rate among minority students.

(Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)