Happy Friday from ATPE! Here's a wrap-up of this week's education news:

• Senate committees to look at Hurricane Harvey effects
• Texas submits ESSA plan to federal government
• Texas schools earn Blue Ribbon honors

Senate committees will soon be convening interim hearings to discuss the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Yesterday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued a series of interim charges related to the hurricane for nine Senate committees, including the Senate Education Committee, to study. Read more about the education-related charges in this blog post from ATPE Lobbyist Kate Kuhlmann. House committees are similarly studying hurricane-related issues in response to interim charges issued recently by House Speaker Joe Straus. One such hearing of the House Appropriations Committee will take place Monday in Houston.  

Texas has finalized its state plan for compliance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). After considering input from ATPE and other stakeholders on a draft ESSA plan released this summer, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) filed its final plan this week with the federal government. Read more about the plan in this blog post from ATPE Lobbyist Kate Kuhlmann.  

More than two dozen Texas public schools have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as Blue Ribbon schools for 2017. The elementary, middle, and high schools receiving the honors were nominated by TEA officials in recognition of their performance on student assessments, and all of the recognized schools have a student population that is at least 25 percent economically disadvantaged. ATPE congratulates the students and staffs of these 26 Blue Ribbon schools located in Texas:

• Amarillo ISD – Whittier Elementary School
• Banquete ISD – Banquete Elementary School
• Birdville ISD – Smithfield Elementary School
• Dallas ISD – Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy
• Dallas ISD – Dallas Environmental Science Academy
• Dallas ISD – Irma Lerma Rangel Women’s Leadership School
• Edinburg CISD – Austin Elementary School
• Edinburg CISD – Jefferson Elementary School
• El Paso ISD – Green Elementary School
• El Paso ISD – Silva Health Magnet
• Galveston ISD – Austin Middle School
• Gunter ISD – Gunter Elementary School
• Houston ISD – Eastwood Academy
• Houston ISD – Lyons Elementary School
• Jim Ned CISD – Lawn Elementary School
• Judson ISD – Crestview Elementary School
• KIPP Houston – KIPP Shine Prep
• La Porte ISD – Jennie Reid Elementary School
• Laredo ISD – Hector J. Garcia Early College High School
• Los Fresnos ISD – Rancho Verde Elementary School
• Montgomery ISD – Montgomery Intermediate School
• Oakwood ISD – Oakwood Elementary School
• San Antonio ISD – Travis Early College High School
• Whitehouse ISD – Stanton-Smith Elementary School
• Wylie ISD (Wylie) – RF Hartman Elementary School
• Ysleta ISD – Valle Verde Early College High School