The compromise deal barely encountered any opposition in the Senate, where only Steve Conway of Tacoma, Karen Fraser of Thurston County and Craig Pridemore of Vancouver voted against it.

Gov. Chris Gregoire watched as senators debated the measure and moved it on to the House, where it is already being fast-tracked for a potential committee vote Friday.

A teacher-evaluation overhaul was one of Gregoire’s top priorities, and she had told business interests like Microsoft and Boeing she would pursue it; they in turn told her they would support her proposal for a half-penny sales tax increase. She talked to business representatives this morning and said she found strong support.

The Washington Education Association said the bill needs improvement. From the teachers union’s statement:

A lot rests with how this legislation is implemented at the local and state levels. This new legislation must not derail, short-circuit or otherwise interfere with the evaluation pilot work that is already underway, and educators must be allowed the flexibility to meet the unique needs of students in their local schools. The larger concern: Teachers, the professionals who are directly affected by this legislation, were not at the table where the bill was negotiated. We didn’t know what was in the bill until a few hours before it passed. For any education reform to work, the voice of teachers needs to be heard and respected. We expect to work with the House to improve on the bill.

Passage in the House looked like a sure bet. Rep. Bruce Dammeier said Republicans support it, and House Democrats put out a news release with much praise for the deal, including from some legislators who tend to side with the teachers union.