[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 213 (Thursday, November 2, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 65847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-28162]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of partially closed meeting.

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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.
    Date: November 16-18, 2000.
    Time: November 16--Executive Committee, 5:30-6.15 p.m. (open), 
6:15-7:00 p.m., (closed). November 17--Full Board, 8:15-10 a.m., 
(open); Assessment Development Committee, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (open); 
Reporting and Dissemination Committee, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (open); 
Committee on Standards, Design, and Methodology, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 
(open); Full Board, 12:30-4:00 p.m., (open). November 18--Full Board, 
8:30 a.m.-adjournment, approximately, 12:00 noon, (open).
    Location: Hotel Washington, Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street, 
Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharif Shakrani, Deputy Director, 
National Assessment Governing Board, Suite 825, 800 North Capitol 
Street, NW., 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 Public Law 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, November 16 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., the Executive 
Committee will meet in partially closed session. In the open session, 
5:00-6:15 p.m., the Committee will hear an update on the 
reauthorization legislation, consider the Board's priorities and 
direction for the coming year, and make assignments to the new standing 
committees. In closed session from 6:15-7:00 p.m., the Committee will 
hear an update on the development of cost estimates for the 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 17, the full Board will convene in open session 
beginning at 8:30 a.m. In addition to the approval of the agenda, the 
Board will hear comments from the Secretary of Education who will 
administer the oath of office to the newly appointed Board members. The 
Board will then hear a report from the Executive Director, an update on 
the NAEP project, and receive a report from the AdHoc Committee on NAEP 
Participation.
    From 10 a.m.-12 p.m., there will be open meetings of the standing 
committees. The Assessment Development Committee will receive a 
briefing on the new NAEP 2004 Mathematics Framework Update contract, 
and discuss an upcoming project to refine the framework document for 
the NAEP reading assessment. The Committee also will discuss several 
recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP Participation, 
specifically related to released NAEP test items and the teacher tool 
kit.
    Agenda items for the Reporting and Dissemination Committee include 
review and discussion of the recommendations from the Ad Hoc Committee 
on NAEP Participation; approval of NAEP report release dates; and 
receipt of an update on plans for reporting NAEP 2000 in reading, 
mathematics, and science.
    The Committee on Standards, Design, and Methodology will review 
recommendations from the Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP Participation, and 
hear updates on achievement levels setting, and translation of 
achievement levels to Voluntary National Tests.
    The full Board will reconvene in open session from 12:30-4 p.m. to 
hear a report on a study regarding the impact of incentives and rewards 
for NAEP. This will be followed by a presentation on the conclusions 
and recommendations on achievement levels. The Board will then receive 
ethics training from staff of the Office of General Counsel.
    On Saturday, November 18, the Board will hear a status report on 
the NAEP Market Basket Pilot Studies, and a report of the National 
Academy of Sciences' Evaluation of the NAEP Market Basket and District-
Level Reporting. 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 partially closed session, 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, DC, from 
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 00-28162 Filed 11-1-00; 8:45 am]
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