[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 130 (Thursday, July 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 41643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-16860]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


The Use of Tests When Making High-Stakes Decisions for Students: 
A Resource Guide for Educators and Policymakers

AGENCY: Office for Civil Rights, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of availability of draft document and request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights announces the 
availability for public comment of a draft document entitled ``The Use 
of Tests When Making High-Stakes Decisions for Students: A Resource 
Guide for Educators and Policymakers.'' The resource guide is designed 
to provide educators and policymakers with a useful, practical tool 
that will assist in their development and implementation of policies 
that involve the use of tests in making high-stakes decisions for 
students. The guide provides information about relevant Federal non-
discrimination standards and professionally recognized test measurement 
principles, as well as a collection of resources related to the non-
discrimination and test measurement principles discussed in the guide.

DATES: We must receive your comments on the draft document on or before 
August 7, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments and requests for copies of the draft 
document to Jeanette J. Lim, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue, SW., room 5212 Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-1100. 
Telephone: (202) 205-5557 or 1-800-421-3481. For all comments submitted 
by letter, you must include the term ``Testing Comments.'' If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the TDD 
number at (202) 260-0471 or 1-800-USA-LEARN. The draft document is also 
available through the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/testing.
    If you prefer to send your comments through the Internet, use the 
following address: [email protected]
    You must include the term ``Testing Comments'' in the subject line 
of your electronic message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeanette J. Lim. Telephone: (202) 205-
5557 or 1-800-421-3481. If you use a telecommunications device for the 
deaf (TDD), you may call the TDD number at (202) 260-0471 or 1-800-USA-
LEARN.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audio-tape, or computer 
diskette) by contacting the Office for Civil Rights' Customer Service 
Team at (202) 205-5557 or 1-800-421-3481.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the draft resource guide is 
to provide educators and policymakers with information about Federal 
non-discrimination standards and test measurement principles concerning 
the proper use of tests in making high-stakes decisions for students. 
The Department is accepting public comments on the draft resource 
guide.
    Earlier versions of the draft resource guide have been reviewed by 
the National Academy of Science's Board on Testing and Assessment 
(BOTA), the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division (CRD), 
and dozens of groups and individuals, including educators, parents, 
teachers, business leaders, policymakers, and others. BOTA conducted a 
public hearing on the resource guide on January 26, 2000. This draft 
seeks to respond to BOTA's, CRD's and other stakeholders' comments.

Invitation To Comment

    We invite you to submit comments regarding this draft resource 
guide.
    During and after the comment period, you may inspect all comments 
received during the public comment period in room 5036, Switzer 
Building, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC, between the hours of 10:00 
a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday of each week 
except Federal holidays.

Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities in Reviewing the Public 
Record

    On request, we will supply an appropriate aid, such as a reader or 
print magnifier, to an individual with a disability who needs 
assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public 
record for this draft resource guide. If you want to schedule an 
appointment for this type of aid, you may call (202) 205-8113 or (202) 
260-9895. If you use a TDD, you may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF), on the Internet at either of the 
following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html

    To use the PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is 
available free at either of the previous sites. If you have questions 
about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), 
toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC area at (202) 
512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this notice is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html


    Dated: June 28, 2000.
Norma V. Cantu,
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
[FR Doc. 00-16860 Filed 7-5-00; 8:45 am]
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