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U.S. Sen. Al Franken says a new federal education bill needs to require schools to have more mental health counselors.


Congress is in the process of re-writing President George W. Bush's signature education legislation known as No Child Left Behind. Schools have not been able to properly address students' mental health issues, Franken said on 


"In Minnesota, we're like third from the bottom on counselors," Franken said. "We have over 700 kids per counselor, which is not good."


The House version of the education bill passed with only Republican votes, but the Senate version passed with a bi-partisan super majority. Franken says mental health will be a priority when Congress comes together to discuss a combined bill.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story reported a statement by Franken out of context. The statement has been removed from this version.

Michael Swearingen

Author

The senator from Minnesota said schools have not been able to properly address students' mental health issues.

Congress is as close to replacing the No Child Left Behind law as it's ever been. Both the House and Senate passed versions that now must be negotiated into one final bill. Democratic Minnesota Sen. Al Franken sits on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and joined us to give us the latest.

Franken: Schools need more mental health counselors

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