[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12767-12768]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4819]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of full and 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. This notice does not meet the 15 days 
requirement for publishing in the Federal Register because of 
administrative clearance issues. Individuals who will need 
accommodations for a disability in order to attend the meeting (i.e. 
interpreting services, assisstive listening devices, materials in 
alternative format) should notify Munira Mwalimu at 202-357-6938 or 
Munira [email protected] by no later than February 26, 2001. 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: March 1-3, 2001.
    Time: March 1--Executive Committee, 5-6:15 p.m. (open), 6:15-7 p.m. 
(closed). March 2--Full Board 8:30-10:15 a.m. (open); Assessment 
Development Committee 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m., (open); Committee on 
Standards, Design and Methodology, 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (open); 
Reporting and Dissemination Committee, 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (open); 
Full Board, 12:15-1:45 p.m., (closed); 1:45-3:30 p.m., (open); 3:30-5 
p.m. (closed). March 3--Full Board, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. (open).
    Location: Omni Colonnade Hotel, 180 Aragon Avenue, Coral Cables, 
Florida.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Munira Mwalimu, 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.

[[Page 12768]]

    The Executive Committee will meet on March 1 in open session from 5 
p.m. to 6:15 p.m., and in closed session from 6:15 p.m. to 7 p.m.
    In the open session, the Executive Committee will receive updates 
on the status of the VNT contract and on the NAEP Reauthorization. The 
Committee will then receive briefings on the implications of President 
Bush's education proposal for the NAEP schedule; on the appointment of 
the Trial Urban Advisory Panel; and on NAEP participation issues.
    From 6:15-7 p.m. the Committee will meet in closed session to make 
a contractual decision pertaining to the VNT; to discuss future cost 
estimates on contracts for the National Assessment of Education 
Progress (NAEP) project; and to receive independent government cost 
estimates on contract initiatives for NAEP.
    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 522b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C.
    On March 2, the full Board will convene in open session from 8:30 
a.m.-12:15 p.m. the Board will approve the agenda; hear a report from 
the Executive Director of the National Assessment Governing Board; and 
receive an update on NAEP activities. Beginning at 10:15 a.m., the 
Board's Standing committees will meet in open session.
    The Assessment Development Committee will meet from 10:15 a.m.-
12:15 p.m. to discuss NAEP participation issues, a proposal for a ten-
year follow-up of NAEP's oral reading study, the 2004 NAEP math 
framework project, and other NAEP assessment development issues.
    The Committee on Standards, Design, and Methodology will meet from 
10:15 a.m.-11:15 p.m. to hear a report from the Ad Hoc Committee on 
enhancing NAEP participation; to discuss the Tribal Urban Assessment; 
and to receive an update on Achievement Levels.
    The Reporting and Dissemination Committee will meet from 10:15 
a.m.-11:15 p.m. to receive and take action on the release plan for NAEP 
2000 Fourth Grade National Reading Report Card; to discuss the schedule 
for release of future NAEP reports; and to discuss and take action on 
recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP Participation. The 
Reporting and Dissemination Committee will also hear a presentation on 
reporting results for subgroups.
    There will be a Joint Meeting of the Committee on Standards, 
Design, and Methodology and the Committee on Reporting and 
Dissemination from 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. to discuss new models for 
reporting achievement levels and new NCES recommendations for 
presenting differences in exclusion and accommodation rates for 
reporting NAEP 2000 results in reading, mathematics, and science.
    On March 2, the full Board will meet in closed session from 12:15-
1:45 p.m. to receive a briefing on the NAEP 2000 Reading Report Card: 
Fourth Grade. This meeting must be closed because the report has not 
gone through complete National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) 
adjudication process and has not been released by the Secretary of 
Education. 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.
    The full Board will meet in open session from 1:45-2:15 p.m. to 
receive an update on the 2002 Math Framework Project. From 2:15-3:30 
p.m., the Board will hear a panel discussion on the Trial Urban 
Assessment.
    On March 2, the full Board will meet in closed session from 3:30-5 
p.m. to review NAEP Long Term Trend Assessment Items. This meeting must 
be closed because the Long Term Trend Assessment uses the same secure 
items for testing and thus cannot be reviewed in an open meeting. 
Premature disclosure of the 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 March 3, the full Board will meet from 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. From 
8:30-9:30 a.m., the full Board will receive a briefing on Student 
Motivation and NAEP, followed by a presentation on NAEP Interactive 
from 9:30-10:00 a.m. The Board will then hear and take action on the 
Committee reports from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. whereupon the meeting 
will adjourn.
    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 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

    Dated: February 22, 2001.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 01-4819 Filed 2-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M