[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8951-8952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4189]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of Partially Closed and 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. Individuals who will need 
accommodations for a disability in order to attend the meeting (i.e. 
interpreting services, assistive listening devices, materials in 
alternative format) should notify Mary Ann Wilmer at 202-357-6938 or e-
mail [email protected] by no later than February 23, 2000. We 
will attempt to meet requests after this date, but cannot guarantee 
availability of the requested accommodation. The meeting site is 
accessible to individuals with disabilities.

DATE: March 2-4, 2000.
    TIME: March 2--Subject Area Committee #1, 1:30-2:30 p.m., (open), 
2:30-3:00 p.m. (closed); Achievement Levels Committee, 1:30-3:00 p.m.; 
Joint Meeting, Subject Area Committee #1 and Achievement Levels 
Committee, 3:00-3:30 p.m.; March 3--Executive Committee, 7:00-7:30 
a.m., (open), 7:30-8:00 a.m., (closed); Full Board, 8:15-9:45 a.m., 
(open); Subject Area Committee #2, 9:45-11:00 a.m., (closed); Reporting 
and Dissemination Committee, 9:45-11:00 a.m. (open); Design and 
Methodology Committee, 9:45-11:00 a.m., (open); Full Board 11:15 a.m.-
12:00 noon, (open), 12:00-1:15 p.m., (closed); and 1:15-4:00 p.m., 
(open).
    March 4--Nominations Committee, 7:30-8:30 a.m., (open); Full Board, 
8:30 a.m.--adjournment, approximately, 12:00 noon, (open).
    LOCATION: Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, 225 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, 
Hawaii.

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) (Pub. 
L. 103-382).
    The Board 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. Under P.L. 105-78, the national 
Assessment Governing Board is also granted exclusive authority over 
developing the Voluntary National Tests pursuant to contact number 
RJ9753001.
    On Thursday, March 2, there will be meeting of two committees of 
the Governing Board. Subject Area Committee #1 will meet in partially 
closed session. From 1:30-3:30 p.m. the Committee will meet in open 
session to discuss the NAEP Foreign Language framework development 
project. The Committee will meet in closed session from 2:30-3:00 p.m. 
to review proposed test items for the Voluntary National Test (VNT) in 
4th grade reading. The discussion will reference specific items for the 
assessment, the disclosure of which might significantly frustrate 
implementation of the VNT. This meeting must be closed to the public 
because reference may be made to data which may be misinterpreted, 
incorrect, or incomplete. Premature disclosure of this data might 
significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed agency action. 
Such matters are protected by exemption 9(B) of section 553b(c) of 
Title 5 U.S.C.
    The Achievement Levels Committee will meet in open session from 
1:30-3:00 p.m. The agenda items for this meeting include discussion of 
a background paper on standard setting on the Voluntary National Tests; 
a briefing on the study of the alignment of the achievement level for 
NAEP with the VNT; and a briefing on the preliminary report on the 
special study of achievement levels.
    Subject Area Committee #1 and the Achievement Levels Committee will 
meet in joint session from 3:00-3:30 p.m. to discuss the proposed 
achievement levels descriptions for grade 12 students' performance in 
foreign language.
    On March 3, the Executive Committee will meet in partially closed 
session. In open session, 7:00-7:20 a.m., the Committee will hear an 
update on Voluntary National Test activities--the contract, and use of 
incentives in research studies; NAEP/NAGB reauthorization, incentives 
for participation in NAEP; and the NCES initiative to coordinate 
research. The Committee will meet in closed session from 7:30-8:00 a.m. 
to hear an update on the development of cost estimates for NAEP (RFPs) 
and other contract initiatives. This portion of the meeting must be 
conducted in closed session because public disclosure of this 
information would likely have an

[[Page 8952]]

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.
    The full Board will convene in open session beginning at 8:15 a.m. 
In addition to the approval of the agenda and the swearing-in of a new 
board member, this session includes a report from the Executive 
Director, and an update on the NAEP project.
    Subject Area Committee #2 will meet in closed session from 9:45-
11:00 a.m. From 9:45-10:30 a.m., the Committee will discuss the draft 
RFP for the NAEP 2004 math assessment. 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.
    In closed session, from 10:30-11:00 a.m., Subject Area Committee #2 
will discuss proposed test items for the Voluntary National Test (VNT) 
in 8th grade mathematics. The discussion will reference specific items 
for the assessment, the disclosure of which might significantly 
frustrate implementation of the VNT. This meeting must be closed to the 
public because reference may be made to data which may be 
misinterpreted, incorrect, or incomplete. Premature disclosure of this 
data might significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed agency 
action. Such matters are protected by exemption 9(B) of 552b(c) of 
Title 5 U.S.C.
    There will be open meetings of the Reporting and Dissemination 
Committee and the Design and Methodology Committee from 9:45-11:00 a.m. 
Agenda items for the Reporting and Dissemination Committee include 
review of plans for the release of NEAP reports; reporting issues for 
Math 2000; and an update on the development of score reporting 
materials for the Voluntary National Tests. The Design and Methodology 
Committee will hear a briefing on plans for replenishing Voluntary 
National Test items and test forms; and a briefing on analysis options 
on minimizing non-comparability of trends in State NAEP for science and 
math.
    The full Board will reconvene in partially closed session from 
11:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. In open session, 11:15 a.m.-12:00 noon, the 
Board will hear an update on the achievement level reporting process. 
The Board will then meet in closed session from 12:00-1:15 p.m. to hear 
a briefing on the NAEP Civics Trend Report 1988-1998. The report will 
include references to specific items from the assessments that have not 
been released to the public. This portion of the meeting must be closed 
because reference may be made to data that 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.
    From 1:15-4:00 p.m. the board will meet in open session. Agenda 
items for this portion of the meeting include an update and discussion 
on NAEP/NAGB and VNT reauthorization issues; discussion of issues 
concerning schools participation in NAEP; an update on the NAEP Foreign 
Language Framework; and review of the contract with AIR for the 
Voluntary National Tests.
    On Saturday, March 4 the Nominations Committee will meet in open 
session from 7:30-8:30 a.m. The Committee will discuss and approve the 
plan for review, rating, and compiling the list of recommended nominees 
to fill potential Board vacancies; consider the process for soliciting 
nominations for additional nominees.
    Also, on March 4, the full Board will meet in open session from 
8:30 a.m. until adjournment, approximately 12:00 noon. The Board will 
hear a presentation on parents and assessment literacy, and continue 
discussion on issues concerning schools participation in NAEP. This 
meeting of the National Assessment Governing Board will conclude with 
the presentation of committee reports and Board actions.
    A summary of the activities of the closed, partially closed 
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.

Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 00-4189 Filed 2-22-00; 8:45 am]
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