[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24188-24190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10252]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.


National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting.

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education

ACTION:  Notice of Closed and Partially Closed Meetings

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a

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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 
[email protected] by no later than April 28, 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.

DATES: May 11-13, 2000.

TIME: May 11--Subject Area Committee #2, 3:00-4:30 p.m. (open), 4:30-
5:00 p.m. (closed); Achievement Levels Committee, 3:00-5:00 p.m. 
(open); Executive Committee, 5:30-6:30 p.m. (open), 6:30-7:00 p.m. 
(closed); May 12--Full Board, 8:30-10:15 a.m. (open); Subject Area 
Committee #1, 10:30-11:00 a.m. (closed), 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (open); 
Design and Methodology Committee, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (open); Joint 
Meeting of Design and Methodology Committee and Subject Area Committee 
#1, 12:00-12:30 p.m. (open); and Reporting and Dissemination Committee, 
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (open); Full Board, 12:30-4:45 p.m. (open). May 
13--Nominations Committee, 8:00-9:00 a.m. (closed); Full Board, 9:00-
11:30 a.m. (open), 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (closed).

LOCATION: Harbor Court Hotel, 350 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer, 
National Assessment Governing Board, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., 
Suite 825, 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. Under P.L. 105-78, the National 
Assessment Governing Board is also granted exclusive authority over 
developing the Voluntary National Tests pursuant to contract number 
RJ97153001.
    On May 11, Subject Area Committee #2 will hold a partially closed 
meeting from 3:00-5:00 p.m. From 4:30-5:00 p.m., the Committee will 
meet in closed session to review test items for the proposed 8th grade 
Voluntary National Test in Mathematics. This portion of the meeting 
must be closed because references will be made to specific items from 
the assessment and premature disclosure of the information presented 
for review 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. During 
the open portion of the meeting, 3:00-4:30 p.m., the Committee will 
hear a briefing on the 2004 NAEP Mathematics Framework Update 
procurement; and the Committee will view a demonstration of the NAEP 
Mathematics Online Study.
    The Achievement Levels Committee will meet in open session from 
3:00-5:00 p.m. to hear updates on the Achievement Levels Study, and a 
briefing on the report which examines the development of the 
achievement levels for NAEP assessments over the past decade. In 
addition, agenda items for this meeting of the Achievement Levels 
Committee include an update on the commissioned papers addressing the 
translation of NAEP achievement levels to the Voluntary National Tests.
    Also on May 11, the Executive Committee will meet in partially 
closed session. In open session 5:30-6:30 p.m., the Committee will hear 
an update on the Voluntary National Tests activities; a briefing on the 
public version of NAEP frameworks and achievement levels publications; 
and updates on NAEP secondary analysis grants, and reauthorization. In 
closed session, 6:30-7:00 p.m., the Committee will 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 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 552(b) of Title 5 U.S.C.
    On May 12, the full Board will convene in open session from 8:30-
10:15 a.m. The board will hear a report from the Executive Director of 
the National Assessment Governing Board; remarks from the Maryland 
State Superintendent of Schools; and updates on NAEP activities, and 
issues regarding proposed NAEP incentives and rewards.
    Beginning at 10:30 a.m., there will be meetings of the Board's 
standing committees. Subject Area Committee #1 will meet in partially 
closed session. From 10:30-11:00 a.m., the Committee will meet in 
closed session to review secure test items for the proposed 4th grade 
Voluntary National Test in Reading. This portion of the meeting must be 
closed because references will be made to specific items from the 
assessment and premature disclosure of the information presented for 
review 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 the 
open portion of the meeting, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Subject Area 
Committee #1 will discuss the NAEP Foreign Language Framework and 
Specifications.
    The Design and Methodology Committee will meet in open session from 
10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. to hear briefings on the following National 
Voluntary Tests issues: dual-language testing; and preliminary plans 
for integrated pilot test design and analysis. Also, the Committee will 
hear an update on the NAEP writing assessment trend.
    From 12:00-12:30 p.m., there will be a joint meeting of the Design 
and Methodology Committee and Subject Area Committee #1 to discuss the 
achievement levels on the NAEP Foreign Language Assessment.
    The Reporting and Dissemination Committee will meet in open session 
from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The Committee will discuss issues pertaining 
to the reporting of results for NAEP 2000 and 2002 by private school; 
schedule for release of future NAEP reports; plan for release of the 
civics trend assessment; and reporting categories by race in 2002 
assessments in response to an OMB directive.
    The full Board will reconvene in open session from 12:30-4:30 p.m. 
There will be a panel presentation by members of the State of Maryland 
Legislature who will give a legislative view of assessment and 
accountability. The Board will receive recommendations on NAEP Foreign 
Language Framework and Specifications. This session will conclude with 
presentations and

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discussion on NAEP participation issues.
    On May 13, there will be a closed meeting of the Nominations 
Committee from 8:00-9:00 a.m. The Committee will discuss nominees 
qualifications for Board membership. These discussions will relate 
solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency and 
would disclose information of a personal nature where disclosure would 
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy if 
conducted in open session. Such matters are protected by exemption (2) 
and (6) of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C.
    From 9:00 a.m., until 11:30 a.m., the full Board will meet in open 
session. The Board will hear the results of a study on America's 
kindergartners, consider issues related to NAEP incentives and rewards, 
and receive reports from its various standing committees. Beginning at 
11:30 a.m. through adjournment, approximately 12:00 noon, the Board 
will meet in closed session, to receive and consider the Nominations 
Committee recommendations for membership. The review and subsequent 
discussion of this information 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 if conducted in open session. Such matters 
are protected by exemptions (2) and (6) of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 
U.S.C.
    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, NW, Washington, DC, from 8:30 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m.

    Dated: April 20, 2000.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 00-10252 Filed 4-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M