WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate on Thursday was close to wrapping up its markup of the sprawling bipartisan overhaul to No Child Left Behind that, from most accounts, has inclusions that make both Democrats and Republicans uncomfortable.
Democratic Sen. Al Franken has been in the room all week trying to find accord with Republicans and said on Thursday the measure worried him in some key areas because he wants to keep robust accountability in place.
"I want a bipartisan solution ... and I'm hopeful that we can find common ground to improve the bill when it comes before the full Senate," he said in a statement.
Among amendments included that were authored by Franken:
-Mental Health In Schools: Allows schools to partner with community organizations to expand access to mental health services for students.
-Principal Training and Recruitment: Improves the preparation, placement and retention of effective principals.
-Accelerated Learning: Seeks to raise student academic achievement and save students and families cash through acclerated learning programs.
-STEM Education: Includes targeted funding for Science Technology Engineering and Math instruction and teacher development.
