[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 82 (Friday, April 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18580-18581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10341]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of Partially Closed Meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a 
forthcoming meeting of the National Assessment Governing Board. This 
notice also describes the functions of the Board. Notice of this 
meeting is required under Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act. This document is intended to notify the general public 
of their opportunity to attend.

DATES: May 9-11, 1996.

TIME: May 9--Subject Area Committee #2, 3:00-5:00 p.m. (open); Design 
and Methodology Committee, 3:00-5:00 p.m. (open); Executive Committee, 
5:00-5:45 p.m. (closed), 5:45-7:00 p.m. (open). May 10--Full Board, 
8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. (open); Achievement Levels Committee, 9:30-11:30 
a.m. (closed); Subject Area Committee #1, 9:30-11:30 a.m. (open); 
Reporting and Dissemination Committee, 9:30-11:30 a.m. (open); Full 
Board, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (closed), 1:00-5:00 p.m. (open). May 11--
Full Board, 8:30 a.m. until adjournment, approximately 12:00 noon 
(open).

LOCATION: The Madison Hotel, 15th and M Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer, National Assessment Government 
Board, Suite 825, 800 North Capitol Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 
20002-4233, Telephone: (202) 357-6938.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Assessment Governing Board is 
established under section 412 of the National Education Statistics Act 
of 1994 (Title IV of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994) (Pub. 
L. 103-382).
    The Board is established to formulate policy guidelines for the 
National Assessment of Educational Progress. The Board is responsible 
for selecting subject areas to be assessed, developing assessment 
objectives, identifying appropriate achievement goals for each grade 
and subject tested, and establishing standards and procedures for 
interstate and national comparisons.

[[Page 18581]]

    On May 9, two committees will meet in open session from 3:00-5:00 
p.m. Subject Area Committee #1 will meet to review the status of the 
1998 NAEP Civics Item Development work, and will review and discuss a 
draft framework development policy. The Design and Methodology 
Committee will meet to hear an update on the Design/Feasibility Team, 
and discuss the NAEP/State linking project, and the NAEP validity 
studies. Also, on May 9, the Executive Committee will meet in closed 
session from 5:00-5:45 p.m. The Committee will meet to discuss the 
development of cost estimates for NAEP and future contract initiatives. 
Public disclosure of this information would likely have an adverse 
financial effect on the NAEP program. The discussion of this 
information would be likely to significantly frustrate implementation 
of a proposed agency action if conducted in open session. Such matters 
are protected by exemption 9(B) of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C. 
Beginning at 5:45 p.m., until adjournment, 7:00 p.m., the Executive 
Committee will meet in open session to consider the selection of 
subjects for the next framework development.
    On May 10, the full Board will convene in open session at 8:30 a.m. 
The agenda for this session of the full Board meeting includes approval 
of the agenda, the Executive Director's Report, and an update on the 
NAEP project. Between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., there will be open 
meetings of the following subcommittees: Subject Area Committee #1, and 
Reporting and Dissemination. Subject Area Committee #1 will review the 
draft 1998 NAEP Writing Specifications, prior to Board action on May 
11, and will review and discuss a draft framework development policy. 
Agenda items for the Reporting and Dissemination Committee include 
consideration of reporting schedules for 1994 and 1996 NAEP 
examinations; catalogue of NAEP publications; and market basket 
approach to NAEP reporting.
    Also, on May 1, the Achievement Levels Committee will meet in 
closed session between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to discuss the results 
of the pilot test for the science assessment. The discussions will 
include references to specific items for the assessment, the disclosure 
of which might significantly frustrate implementation of the NAEP. This 
meeting must be closed to the public because reference may be made to 
data which may be misinterpreted, incorrect, or incomplete. Premature 
disclosure of this data might significantly frustrate implementation of 
a proposed agency action. Such matters are protected by exemption 9(B) 
of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C.
    The full Board will reconvene, in closed session, from 11:30 a.m. 
to 1:00 p.m. During this session the Board will hear a briefing on the 
1994 Transcript Study. The discussions will include references to 
specific items from the assessment, the disclosure of which might 
significantly frustrate implementation of the NAEP. This meeting must 
be closed to the public because reference may be made to data which may 
be misinterpreted, incorrect, or incomplete. Premature disclosure of 
this data might significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed 
agency action. Such matters are protection by exemption 9(B) of Section 
552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C.
    Beginning at 1:00 P.M., the full Board will convene in open 
session. Agenda items for this portion of the meeting include a 
briefing on National and International Standards given by a 
representative from the American Federation of Teachers; a presentation 
on the 1998 Writing Specifications given by representatives from 
American College Testing; and continued work on NAGB's planning 
initiative.
    On May 11, beginning at 8:30 a.m. the full Board will reconvene in 
open session. Agenda items include a presentation on the Colorado State 
Assessment Program; a presentation on the development of an NAGB home-
page on the Internet; and reports from the Board's standing 
subcommittees--Subject Area Committees #1 and #2, Achievement Levels, 
Reporting and Dissemination, Design and Methodology, and Executive. The 
meeting of the National Assessment Governing Board will be adjourned at 
approximately 12:00 Noon.
    The public is being given less than fifteen days notice of this 
meeting because of the illness of key staff persons.
    A summary of the activities of the closed and partially closed 
sessions and other related matters, which are informative to the public 
and consistent with the policy of section 5 U.S.C. 552b, will be 
available to the public within 14 days after the meeting. Records are 
kept of all Board proceedings and are available for public inspection 
at the U.S. Department of Education, National Assessment Governing 
Board, Suite 825, 800 North Capitol Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 
from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

    Dated: April 23, 1996.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 96-10341 Filed 4-25-96; 8:45 am]
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