The bill altering the "last hired, first fired" rule governing teacher layoffs might have been on its way to DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's desk today, after approval by the GOP-controlled Senate on a largely party-line vote Monday. Instead, it's going to conference committee.

For Minnesotans hoping that schools will also be able to consider teacher effectiveness when layoffs are required, that move is a good sign. It gives Dayton and Republicans an opportunity to bend the bill in a way that wins his signature and allows it to become law this year.

Had the bill that left the Senate floor gone directly to Dayton, chances were good that he would veto it. He said in his Feb. 15 State of the State address that he wants education initiatives to be developed "in cooperation with teachers, rather than in conflict with them."

To date, this bill has not met that test. But the fact that 40 percent of the state's school districts have already bargained with their teachers for exceptions to seniority in times of layoff -- and that an Education Minnesota release highlighted that fact -- suggests that there might be a way to crack the union's opposition to the bill. The key may be in allowing more flexibilty for local unions and school boards to arrive at their own terms.

As I said in a column a few weeks ago, I'm watching to see "what's for real and what's for show" in this year's lawmaking exercise. Sending this bill to conference committee suggests that this one is for real -- or could be, and should be, provided genuine negotiations now ensue.