[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 79 (Monday, April 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-9903]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 25, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 

National Assessment Governing Board; Partially Closed 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, partially closed, 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 the open portions of the 
meeting.

DATES: May 12-14, 1994.

    Time: May 12, 1994--Subject Area Committee #2, 4 p.m.-6 p.m., 
(open); Achievement Levels Committee, 4 p.m.-6 p.m., (open). May 13, 
1994--Executive Committee, 7 a.m.-8:30 a.m., (open); Full Board, 8:45 
a.m.-10 a.m., (open); Subject Area Committee #1, 10 a.m.-11 a.m., 
(closed), 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m., (open); Design and Analysis Committee, 10 
a.m.-11:30 a.m., (open); Joint meeting, Subject Area Committee #1 and 
Design and Analysis Committee, 11:30 a.m.-12 Noon, (open); Reporting 
and Dissemination Committee, 10 a.m.-12 Noon, (open); Full Board, 12 
Noon-1:15 p.m., (closed); 1:15 p.m.-4:45 p.m., (open). May 14, 1994--
Full Board, 9 a.m.-adjournment, approximately 12 Noon, (open).

ADDRESSES: The Washington Marriott Hotel, 1221 22nd Street NW., 
Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer, National Assessment Governing 
Board, suite 825, 800 North Capitol Street NW., Washington, DC, 20002-
4233, Telephone: (202) 357-6938.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Assessment Governing Board is 
established under section 406(i) of the General Education Provisions 
Act (GEPA) as amended by section 3403 of the National Assessment of 
Educational Progress Improvement Act (NAEP Improvement Act), Title III-
C of the Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and 
Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-297), (20 
U.S.C. 1221e-1).
    The Board is established to formulate policy guidelines for the 
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). 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.
    On May 12, two committees will be in open session from 4 p.m. until 
6 p.m. The Subject Area Committee #2 will be briefed on the test 
development work for the NAEP arts education assessment; hear about a 
national survey of arts instruction; and review the cognitive item 
review schedule.
    The Committee will also be provided information on the 
International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The Achievement 
Levels Committee will examine the issues involved in selecting 
exemplary items for the achievement levels, and be briefed on the 
progress of the 1994 level setting activities in geography and history. 
The committee will also be briefed on the plans for ``reinvesting'' the 
1992 reading achievement levels to be used to report NAEP results in 
1994 at the 4, 8, and 12 grade national levels and state grade 4 level.
    On May 13, the Executive Committee will meet in open session from 7 
a.m. until 8:30 a.m. The proposed agenda includes review and discussion 
of the principles governing the NAEP subject area assessment 
scheduling, and briefing on the status of NAEP reauthorization.
    Also on May 13, the full Board will convene in open session at 8:45 
a.m. The morning session of the full Board meeting, to 10 a.m., 
includes approval of the meeting agenda, and a panel presentation on 
NAEP equity/inclusion issues. Panelists will be the Department of 
Education's Assistant Secretaries for the Offices of Civil Rights, 
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and Educational Research 
and Improvement. Three committees will be in session from 10 a.m. until 
12 Noon. Two of the three committees will meet in open session: the 
Reporting and Dissemination Committee, and the Design and Analysis 
Committee. The Reporting and Dissemination Committee will consider 
plans for the release of future NAEP reports. The Design and Analysis 
Committee will hear a presentation on feasibility studies for reporting 
NAEP data below the state level; and discuss score scaling issues.
    One committee will meet in partially closed session: Subject Area 
Committee #1. From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., the Committee will meet in 
closed session to hear and discuss the plans for the NAEP U.S. History 
Special Study. This meeting must be closed to the public because the 
Committee will discuss information about NAEP cognitive items. 
Premature disclosure of information presented for review might 
significantly frustrate a proposed agency action. Such matters are 
protected by exemption 9(B) of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C. The 
Committee will meet in open session from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to 
discuss the NAEP Civics procurement and the national standards project 
timelines.
    Beginning at 11:30 a.m. the Subject Area Committee #1 and the 
Design and Analysis Committee will meet jointly to hear a presentation 
from Educational Testing Service on assessment accommodations for 
individualized educational program (IEP) and limited English proficient 
(LEP) students.
    The full Board will reconvene in closed session from 12 Noon to 
1:15 p.m. During this portion of the meeting a report, Effective 
Schools and Instruction in Mathematics, will be presented for 
discussion by staff of the NAEP contractor, Educational Testing 
Service. The discussion will include references to specific items from 
the assessment, the disclosure of which might significantly frustrate 
implementation of NAEP. This session 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 meeting will reopen to the public at 1:15 p.m. and 
continue until 4:45 p.m. This session of the meeting will be primarily 
devoted to a panel presentation by the State Testing Program Directors 
for California, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, and North Carolina. 
The panelists will discuss the processes utilized, in their respective 
states, for setting performance standards. The session will conclude 
with an update on NAEP activities presented by the Department of 
Education's Commissioner of the National Center for Educational 
Statistics.
    On May 14, the full Board will be in open session from 9 a.m. until 
approximately 12 Noon. The agenda for this session includes a 
continuation of the presentation on NAEP equity/inclusion issues, 
followd by Board committee reports. 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, NW., Washington, D.C., from 8:30 a.m. to 
5 p.m.
    A summary of the activities at the closed sessions and related 
matters which are informative to the public consistent with the policy 
of Title 5 U.S.C. 552b(c) will be available to the public within 
fourteen days of each closed session.

    Dated: April 20, 1994.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 94-9903 Filed 4-22-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M