[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 178 (Tuesday, September 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49341-49342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24722]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Assessment Governing Board
National Assessment Governing Board; Meetings
AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of Hearings.
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SUMMARY: The National Assessment Governing Board is announcing six
public hearings related to proposed voluntary national tests. The
purpose of the hearings is to obtain public comment to inform the
development by the Governing Board of policies for the inclusion of and
accommodations for students with disabilities and students with limited
English proficiency in the proposed tests. Interested individuals and
organizations are invited to provide written and/or oral testimony to
the Governing Board. The Governing Board has contracted with the
National Association of State Boards of Education to assist in the
conduct and reporting of the public hearings.
Pub. L. 105-78 vests exclusive authority to develop the voluntary
national tests in the Governing Board and also prohibits the use of
Fiscal Year 1998 funds for pilot testing, field testing,
implementation, administration, or distribution of voluntary national
tests. If Congress does not prohibit further development of the
voluntary national tests after September 30, 1998, the Governing Board
intends to begin pilot testing of items (i.e., test questions) in March
1999.
Pub. L. 105-78 also requires the Governing Board to make four
determinations about the voluntary national tests, one of which
concerns whether the test development process and test items take into
account the needs of disadvantaged students, students with limited
English proficiency, and students with disabilities. Pub. L. 105-78
authorizes the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study of
appropriate test uses. The study, entitled ``High Stakes,'' contains
recommendations related to inclusion and accommodations in educational
tests generally of students with disabilities and students with limited
English proficiency. The conference report accompanying Pub. L. 105-78
asks the Governing Board to conduct public hearings on the NAS
recommendations. Thus, the public hearings are being conducted pursuant
to this congressional guidance and are intended to assist the Governing
Board with respect to policy development.
The NAS report ``High Stakes'' is available from the National
Academy of Sciences. It is available on the Internet at the following
address: http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/enter2.cgi?0309062802.html.
DATES AND LOCATIONS: The dates and locations of the six public hearings
have been set as follows:
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Cities Dates Locations
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Washington, DC.................. October 14, 1998, The Charles Sumner
Register by School, The Great
September 30. Hall, 1201 17th
Street NW.
Atlanta, GA..................... October 29, 1998, The Carter
Register by Presidential
October 6. Center, Cyprus
Room, One
Copenhill, 453
Freedom Parkway.
New York, NY.................... October 23, 1998, New York
Register by University, Main
October 9. Building, Room
401, 31
Washington Place.
Chicago, IL..................... October 26, 1998, Curie High School,
Register by Auditorium, 4959
October 12. South Archer
Avenue.
Austin, TX...................... October 28, 1998, William B. Travis
Register by Building, State
October 14. Board of
Education Room,
#1-104, 1701
North Congress
Avenue.
Los Angeles, CA................. November 2, 1998, Los Angeles
Register by Unified School
October 19. District, Board
Room (H-160), 450
North Grand
Avenue.
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[[Page 49342]]
The hearing schedule for each site will be as follows:
9:00 am-12:00 noon Testimony on students with limited English
proficiency
1:00 pm-4:00 pm Testimony on students with disability
Individuals wishing to present oral testimony should register in
advance by the registration date indicated above in the schedule for
the specific hearings. To register in advance, contact Katherine Fraser
at the National Association of State Boards of Education at 1-800-368-
5023, Extension 8572. Request to speak will be accommodated until all
time slots are filled. Individuals who do not register in advance will
be permitted to register and speak at the meeting in order of
registration, if time permits. Each speaker is intended to have at
least five minutes; the actual time available will be determined in
part by the volume of registered speakers. While it is anticipated that
all persons who desire will have an opportunity to speak, time limits
may not allow this to occur. The National Association of State Boards
of Education will make the final determination on advance selection and
scheduling of speakers. People who register to give oral testimony will
receive additional information, including issues to consider related to
the National Academy of Sciences report entitled ``High Stakes,'' which
contains recommendations about inclusion and accommodations in testing.
Written testimony is invited and welcomed. All testimony will
become part of the public record and will be considered by the
Governing Board in developing policy for the voluntary national tests
about inclusion and accommodations for students with disabilities and
students with limited English proficiency.
Written Statements
Written statements submitted for the public record should be
postmarked by November 15, 1998 and mailed to the following address:
Mark D. Musick, Chairman, (Attention: Ray Fields), National Assessment
Governing Board, 800 North Capitol Street NW, Suite 825, Washington, DC
20002-4233.
Written statements also may be submitted electronically by sending
electronic mail (e-mail) to [email protected] by November 15, 1998.
Comments sent by e-mail must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the
use of special characters and any form of encryption. Inclusion in the
public record cannot be guaranteed for written statements, whether sent
by mail or electronically, submitted after November 15, 1998.
One or more members of the Governing Board will preside at each
hearing. The proceedings will be recorded for print transcription. The
hearings also can be signed for the hearing-impaired, upon advance
request.
Additional Information
Additional information will be sent prior to each hearing to
individuals who register by the date indicated above for the respective
hearings. The information to be sent will include: the procedures for
the hearings, the schedule for providing oral testimony at each site,
and the issues to address from the relevant National Academy of
Sciences recommendations in the report ``High Stakes.''
Steps After Hearings
A transcript will be prepared for each hearing as well as a written
summary of the testimony. After the six hearings have been completed,
two syntheses will be prepared of the testimony presented at all of the
hearings, one covering issues and recommendations related to inclusion
and accommodations in testing pertaining to students with disabilities
and one covering issues and recommendations pertaining to students with
limited English proficiency. A presentation on the hearings and the
synthesis reports will be made at the March 1999 meeting of the
Governing Board. The Governing Board will consider this information in
formulating policy regarding inclusion and accommodations of students
with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency in the
proposed voluntary national tests.
Public Record
A record of all Governing Board proceedings with respect to the
public hearings will be available for inspection from 8 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays, in Suite 825,
800 North Capitol Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20002.
Dated: September 10, 1998.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 98-24722 Filed 9-14-98; 8:45 am]
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