[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 213 (Thursday, November 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60185-60186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28940]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of partially closed meetings.

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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 
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.

DATES: November 18-20, 1999.

TIME: November 18--Subject Area Committee #1, 3:30-5:30 p.m., (open); 
Design and Methodology Committee, 3:30-5:30 p.m., (open); and Executive 
Committee, 5:30-6:15 p.m., (open);

[[Page 60186]]

6:15-7:00 p.m. (closed). November 19--Full Board, 8:30-10:00 a.m., 
(open); Joint Meeting of Achievement Levels and Reporting and 
Dissemination Committees, 10:00-10:30 a.m., (open); Joint Meeting 
Achievement Levels Committee and Subject Area Committees 1 and 2, 
11:00-11:30 a.m; Subject Area Committees #2, 11:00-11:30 a.m., (open); 
11:30 a.m.-12 noon, (closed); Achievement Levels Committee, 11:30 a.m.-
12:00 noon, (open); Reporting and Dissemination Committee, 10:30 a.m.-
12:00 noon, (open); Full Board, 12:00 noon-4:30 p.m., (open). November 
20--Full Board, 8:30 a.m. until adjournment, approximately 11:30 a.m., 
(open).

LOCATION: Madison Hotel, 15th and M Streets, NW, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer, 
National Assessment Governing Board, Suite 825, 800 North Capitol 
Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 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) (P.L. 
103-382).
    The Board is established to formulate policy guidelines for the 
National Assessment of Education 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. Under P.L. 105-78, 
the National Assessment Governing Board is also granted exclusive 
authority over developing the Voluntary National Tests, (VNT) pursuant 
to contact number RJ9753001.
    On Thursday, November 18, there will be meetings of three 
committees of the Governing Board. Subject Area Committees #1 will meet 
from 3:30-5:30 p.m. to discuss the NAEP Foreign Language framework 
development project; the NAEP writing online study; and the National 
Academy Year 2 Evaluation of the Voluntary Nation test in reading.
    The Design and Methodology Committee will meet from 3:30-5:30 p.m. 
to review the technical issues and the inclusion and accommodations 
chapters of the NRC Report: Evaluation of the VNT, Year 2. The 
Committee will hear the proposed field test design for the VNT and take 
action on the proposed plans for VNT in FY 2000. For the National 
Assessment of Educational Project, the Committee will take action on 
two draft policies: NAEP short-form, and NAEP testing window. Also, the 
Committee will hear a progress report on the NAS evaluation of NAEP.
    The Executive Committee will meet from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. in open 
session. In the open session the Executive Committee will review the 
final appropriations bill; consider plans for the Voluntary National 
Tests; develop new initiatives for NAGB; hear an update on NAGB 
redesign issues. Then the Executive Committee will meet in closed 
session from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m. The Committee will discuss the 
development of cost estimates for NAEP and future contract initiatives. 
This portion of the meeting must be conducted in closed session because 
public disclosure of this information would likely have an adverse 
financial effect 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.
    On November 19, the full Board will convene in open session 
beginning at 8:30 a.m. The agenda for this session of the full Board 
meeting includes approval of the agenda. Also, the morning agenda will 
include a report from the Executive Director, and an update of the NAEP 
project. This session will conclude with the administration of the oath 
of office to new members and remarks by the Secretary of Education.
    Subject Area Committee #2 will meet in open session from 10:00-
11:00 a.m. to discuss the National Academy Year 2 Evaluation of the 
Voluntary National Test in Mathematics.
    From 11:00-11:30 a.m., Subject Area Committees 1 and 2, and the 
Achievement Levels Committee will meet in joint session to hear a 
presentation on the use of technology in the development, delivery, and 
analysis of NAEP assessments of the future.
    Subject Area Committee #2 will meet in closed session from 11:30 
a.m.-12:00 noon to review a draft RFP for the NAEP math online study. 
This meeting must be conducted in closed session because public 
disclosure of this information would likely have an adverse financial 
effect on the NAEP program. The discussion of this information would be 
likely to significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed agency 
action if conducted in an open session. Such matters are protected by 
exemption 9(B) of section 552b(c) of Title of 5 U.S.C.
    There will be open meetings of the Achievement Levels and Reporting 
and Dissemination Committees. From 10:00-10:30 a.m., the Achievement 
Levels and the Reporting and Dissemination Committees will meet in 
joint to receive a briefing on a report to Congress concerning the 
public perception of achievement levels.
    From 11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, the Achievement Levels Committee will 
review the preliminary findings from the VNT Achievement Levels study. 
The Reporting and Dissemination Committee will hear an update on 
``market-basket'' reporting of NAEP results; review categories of race/
ethnicity reporting; review the work plan on score reporting for 
proposed VNT; and will hear an update on district-level reporting.
    The full Board will reconvene 12:00 noon to 4:30 p.m. The agenda 
includes a briefing on the NAEP 1998 Civics Report Card; an update and 
discussion on NAEP, NAGB, and VNT legislation; an update on a report to 
Congress on Achievement Levels, and a report on ALLSTATES 2000. The 
Board recess is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
    On Saturday, November 20 the full Board will meet in open session 
from 8:30 a.m. until adjournment, approximately 11:30 a.m. The agenda 
for this session is an update on the NAEP Foreign Language Framework 
and the presentation of reports from the various Board committee 
meetings.
    A summary of activities of the closed and partially close sessions 
and other related matters which are informative to the public and 
consistent with the policy of the section 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), will be 
available to the public within 14 days after 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, NW, Washington, D.C. from 
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

    Dated: November 1, 1999.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 99-28940 Filed 11-3-99; 8:45 am]
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