[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 14, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 31354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14529]




[[Page 31353]]

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Part II





Department of Education





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The National Assessment of Educational Progress Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 114 / Wednesday, June 14, 1995 / 
Notices   

[[Page 31354]]


DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.999G]


The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Program 
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1995

    Purpose of Program: To conduct scoring, analysis, and reporting for 
the national and State components of NAEP in 1996 and 1998; to conduct 
scoring, analysis, and reporting for the national assessment in 1997; 
and to develop the assessment instruments for the national and State 
components of the 1998 assessment. It is anticipated that the 1996 NAEP 
will be conducted at the national level in reading, mathematics, and 
science in grades 4, 8 and 12 and at the State level in mathematics and 
science in grades 4 and 8. The 1997 NAEP will be a national assessment 
of the arts (dance, theater, music, visual arts) conducted in grade 8 
only, with a smaller than normal sample of students. (However, 
increases in the scope of the arts assessment are possible.) It is 
anticipated that the 1998 NAEP will assess reading, writing, and civics 
at the national level, and reading and writing at the State level in 
grades 4, 8, and 12. NAEP supports the National Education Goals by 
providing measures of progress toward student competency over 
challenging subject matter.
    Eligible Applicants: Public, private, for-profit, and non-profit 
institutions, agencies, and other qualified organizations or consortia 
of such institutions, agencies, and organizations.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 24, 1995.
    Applications Available: June 15, 1995.
    Available Funds: The Department estimates that about $1,000,000 can 
be made available in fiscal year 1995 for this project.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 
85, 86; and (b) The regulations in 34 CFR Part 98 (Students Rights in 
Research, Experimental Activities, and Testing).
    Supplementary Information: The National Assessment of Educational 
Progress is authorized by Section 411 of the National Education 
Statistics Act of 1994, Title IV of the Improving America's Schools Act 
(20 U.S.C. 9010). Section 412 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 9011) of this law 
provides for the establishment of the National Assessment Governing 
Board (NAGB). The law requires NAGB, among other responsibilities, to 
formulate the policy guidelines for the National Assessment and select 
the subject areas to be assessed. Copies of these guidelines are 
available from the Department. One cooperative agreement is currently 
in effect to develop, field test, revise, and prepare for the national 
and State components of NAEP in 1996. There was a separate announcement 
for the collection of data from the 1996, 1997, and 1998 assessments. 
This notice is limited to seeking applications for scoring, analysis 
and reporting activities in connection with the 1996, 1997, and 1998 
NAEP assessments, as well as development activities for the 1998 
assessment.
Priorities

    Absolute Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and 20 U.S.C. 9010-
9011, the Secretary gives an absolute preference to applications that 
meet the following priority. The Secretary, under 20 U.S.C. 9010-9011, 
funds under this competition only applications that meet this absolute 
priority:
    Scoring, analysis and reporting of data for the national and State 
components of the 1996 and 1998 assessments, scoring, analysis and 
reporting of the national assessment in 1997, and developing 
instruments for the 1998 assessment.
    The grantee must perform these activities in accordance with 
guidelines developed by the NAGB.
    Selection Criteria: Applications are evaluated according to the 
selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210. Under 34 CFR 75.210(c), the 
Secretary is authorized to distribute an additional 15 points among the 
selection criteria to bring the total possible points to a maximum of 
100 points. For the purpose of this competition, the Secretary will 
distribute the additional points as follows:
    Plan of operation (34 CFR 75.210(b)(3)). Fifteen (15) additional 
points will be added for a possible total of 30 points for this 
criterion.
    For Applications or Information Contact: Steven Gorman, U.S. 
Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Room 402g, 
Washington, DC 20208-5653. Telephone: (202) 219-1761. Individuals who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 
p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
    Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including 
copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can 
be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board), 
telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet Gopher Server at 
GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases). 
However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant 
competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9010, 9011.

    Dated: June 9, 1995.
Sharon P. Robinson,
Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 95-14529 Filed 6-13-95; 8:45 am]
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