[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 194 (Wednesday, October 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 53885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26916]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Assessment Governing Board; Submission for OMB Review; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board.

AGENCY: Submission for OMB review; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board 
invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
November 5, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Danny Werfel, Desk 
Officer, Department of Education, Office of Management and Budget, 725 
17th Street, NW., Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, 
Washington, DC 20503. Requests for copies of the proposed information 
collection requests should be addressed to Ray Fields, National 
Assessment Governing Board, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., Suite 825, 
Washington, DC 20002-4233.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ray Fields at 202-357-0395 by telephone, [email protected] by 
electronic mail, or Ray Fields, National Assessment Governing Board, 
800 North Capitol Street, NW., Suite 825, Washington, DC 20002-4233 by 
regular mail.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) provide interested Federal agencies and the public an 
early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. OMB 
may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the 
extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat 
the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal 
law, or substantially interfere with any agency's ability to perform 
its statutory obligations. The Executive Director, National Assessment 
Governing Board, publishes this notice containing proposed information 
collection requests prior to submission of this request to OMB. The 
proposed information collection contains the following: (1) Type of 
review requested, e.g., new, revision, extension, existing or 
reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary of the collection; (4) 
Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information; (5) 
Respondents and frequency of collection; and (6) Reporting and/or 
Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment at the address 
specified above. Copies of the requests are available from Ray Fields 
at the address specified above.
    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Voluntary National Tests in Reading and Mathematics--Pilot 
Tests.
    Frequency: Annual.
    Affected Public: State, local, or Tribal Government SEAs or LEAs; 
Not-for-profit Institutions.
    Reporting and Record-Keeping Hour Burden:
      Responses: 50,244.
      Burden hours: 99,444.
    Abstract: Public Law 105-78 assigned to the National Assessment 
Governing Board exclusive authority over all policies, guidelines, and 
direction for the development of voluntary national tests in reading in 
grade 4 and in mathematics in grade 8 pursuant to contract RJ97153001, 
with the American Institutes for Research. While permitting test 
development, Public Law 105-78 prohibits during FY 1998 the pilot 
testing, field testing, administration, or dissemination of any 
voluntary national tests, except the National Assessment of Educational 
Progress or the Third International Mathematics and Science Study.
    If pilot testing is not prohibited in FY 1999, pilot tests of test 
questions developed for the voluntary national tests will be conducted 
in March 1999. The purpose of the pilot test is to ensure that the test 
items are of high quality and free from bias. In addition, a limited 
number of background questions will be included, in order to conduct 
certain statistical tests related to the test questions.

    Dated: October 2, 1998.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 98-26916 Filed 10-6-98; 8:45 am]
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