WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Education Committee on Wednesday finished its sweeping rewrite of No Child Left Behind that eases coast-to-coast requirements for schools and gives states greater independence to set their own goals.

On a party-line vote, the Democratic-led panel sent to the full Senate a bill that that gives states flexibility to implement reform as long as Education Secretary Arne Duncan approves their plans. Republicans opposed the revisions, saying they give too much power to Washington and to Duncan.