[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 139 (Thursday, July 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37453-37455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18261]


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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

[[Page 37454]]

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: August 1-3, 1996.

TIMES: August 1, 1996--Subject Area Committee #2, 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m., 
(closed); Subject Area Committee #1, 3:00-5:00 p.m., (open); Design and 
Methodology Committee, 3:00-5:00 p.m., (open); and Executive Committee, 
5:00-6:00 p.m. (open), 6:00-7:00 p.m. (closed); August 2, 1996--Full 
Board, 8:45 a.m.-10:00 a.m., (open); Subject Area Committee #2, 10:00-
11:00 a.m., (closed), 11:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon, (open); Achievement Levels 
Committee, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon, (open); Reporting and Dissemination 
Committee, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon, (open); Full Board, 12:00 Noon-1:30 
p.m., (closed), 1:30-4:15 p.m., (open); August 3, 1996--Full Board, 
8:30 a.m. until adjournment, approximately 12:00 Noon, (open).

LOCATION: The Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert 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 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.
    The Subject Area Committee #2 (SAC 2) will meet in closed session 
on August 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and partially closed session 
on August 2 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. On August 1, the Committee will 
review the items for the 1997 grade 8 arts probe and the 1997 grade 12 
arts field test. On August 2, the Committee will review the draft items 
and findings from the NAEP writing pilot test. These meetings must be 
conducted in closed session because references will be made to specific 
items from the assessments and premature disclosure of the information 
presented for review would be likely to 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. During the 
open portion of the SAC #2 meeting from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon, the 
Committee will receive an update on test development activities in the 
arts and review the draft framework policy.
    On August 1, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., there will be open 
meetings of Subject Area Committee #1 (SAC #1) and the Design and the 
Methodology Committee. There are three agenda items for SAC #1 meeting: 
(1) Review of the draft paper on NAEP foreign language issues and 
options; (2) update presentation on test development activities in 
reading and civics; and (3) review of the draft policy framework. The 
Design and Methodology Committee will receive a report from the chair 
of the Ad Hoc Advisory Panel meeting on sampling issues for the 1998 
cycle of NAEP. They will also discuss the technical implications of the 
Design/Feasibility report submitted to the Board as part of its 
planning effort.
    Also on August 1, there will be a partially closed meeting of the 
Executive Committee. During the open portion of the meeting, 5:00-6:00 
p.m., the Committee will discuss procedures for communication between 
ACES and NAGB and hear an update on the Work Group on Planning. The 
Committee will then meet in closed session from 6:00-7:00 p.m. to 
continue the discussions about the development of cost estimates for 
the NAEP and future contract initiatives. Public disclosure of this 
information would likely have an adverse financial affect 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.
    Also in closed session, the Committee will discuss the 
qualifications of current Board members to serve as Chairman and Vice 
Chairman of NAGB. Based upon these discussions, the Board will elect a 
Vice Chairman and recommend a Chairman to the Secretary. This portion 
of the session will relate solely to the internal personnel rules and 
practices of an agency and will disclose information of a personal 
nature where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion 
of personal privacy and, as such, is protected by exemptions (2) and 
(6) of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C.
    On August 2, 1996 the full Board will convene in open session from 
8:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The agenda for this session includes approval 
of the agenda, the report of the Executive Director, and an update on 
NAEP by the Commissioner of the National Center for Education 
Statistics. Between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 Noon, there will be a 
partially closed meeting of the Subject Area Committee #2, and there 
will be open meetings of the Achievement Levels and the Reporting and 
Dissemination committees.
    The Achievement Levels Committee will discuss the final plans for 
the second pilot study in preparation for the 1996 level setting 
activities in science. They will also review the plans for the level-
setting meeting in science, including composition of panels, feedback 
information for panelists, and procedures for the selection of exemplar 
exercises in science.
    The Reporting and Dissemination Committee will consider the 
following items: A release plan for the 1994 long-term trend report; 
the use of NAEP framework by teachers and curriculum developers; 
within-grade reporting of 1996 NAEP science results; the reporting of 
the link between NAEP and TIMSS (Third International Mathematics and 
Science Study); and the market basket approach in NAEP reporting.
    Beginning at 12:00 Noon, until 1:30 p.m., the full Board will meet 
in closed session. The Board will hear a briefing on the Long Term 
Trend Report for 1994. This report will include references to specific 
items from the assessments. This portion of the meeting must be closed 
because reference may be made to data which may be misinterpreted, 
incorrect, or incomplete. Premature disclosure of these 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 meeting will be open from 1:30 until 4:15 p.m. when the Board 
will discuss the recommendations for the redesign of NAEP and hear an 
update an ACES.
    On August 3, at 8:30 a.m., until adjournment, approximately 12:00 
Noon, the full Board will reconvene. The agenda includes discussion on 
the implementation of the NAEP Redesign; reports from the Board's 
standing committees--Subject Area #1, Subject Area 2, Achievement 
Levels, Reporting and Dissemination, Design and Methodology, and the 
Executive Committee; and election of a Vice Chairman and recommendation 
of a Chairman to the Secretary.

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    Summaries of the activities of the closed sessions and related 
matters, which are informative to the public and consistent with the 
policy of section 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), will be available to the public 
within 14 days of 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: July 15, 1996.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 96-18261 Filed 7-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M