[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 1, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21746-21747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10863]


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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. 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 Munira Mwalimu at 202-357-6938 or at 
[email protected] no later than April 30, 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: May 10-12, 2001.

Time: May 10--Executive Committee, 5:00-6 p.m., (open), 6:00-7 p.m. 
(closed). May 11--Full Board 8:30-10 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, 12:15-1:15 p.m., (closed); 1:15-5 p.m., (open). May 12--
Nominations Committee, 7:30-8:30 a.m.; Full Board, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. 
(open).

Location: Loews Annapolis Hotel, 126 West Street, Annapolis, Maryland.

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 Public Law 105-78, the 
National Assessment Governing Board is also granted exclusive authority 
over developing the Voluntary National Tests pursuant to contract 
number RJ97153001.
    The Executive Committee will meet on May 10 in open session from 5 
p.m. to 6 p.m., and in closed session from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
    In open session, the Executive Committee will receive updates on 
the contract for test question banking storage and security and on NAEP 
reauthorization, appropriations, and related legislation. The Executive 
Committee will also discuss the NAEP schedule.
    From 6:00-7 p.m. the Committee will meet in closed session to 
discuss future government cost estimates on contracts for the National 
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) project; to discuss awards 
for secondary grants analyses for the 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 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C.
    On May 11, the full Board will convene in open session from 8:30 
a.m.-

[[Page 21747]]

10 a.m. The Board will approve the agenda; hear a report from the 
Executive Director of the National Assessment Governing Board; receive 
a briefing from Secretary of Education Roderick Paige on the ``No Child 
Left Behind'' Initiative; and receive an update on the NAEP Program. 
From 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.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 receive an update on various NAEP assessment development 
activities, including projects in mathematics, reading, and foreign 
language. The Committee will also receive a briefing on the content of 
the NAEP Long Term Trend Study.
    The Committee on Standards, Design, and Methodology will meet from 
10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. to receive an update on the 1992-1998 achievement 
levels publications and on the status of the Trial Urban Assessment. In 
addition, the Committee will review and discuss sampling plans for the 
2002 NAEP and the methodology for enhanced reporting.
    The Reporting and Dissemination Committee will meet from 10:15 
a.m.-12:15 p.m. to discuss the sampling and reporting plan for NAEP 
2002 assessments; new models for reporting achievement levels; the plan 
for release of the NAEP 2002 Mathematics Report; and the schedule for 
release of future NAEP reports. In addition, the Committee will discuss 
reporting data for subgroups; and the plan for private school reporting 
in NAEP 2002 assessments. The Reporting and Dissemination Committee 
will then receive an update on racial categories in NAEP reporting and 
discuss the background questions in reading and writing for NAEP 2002.
    On May 11, the full Board will meet in closed session from 12:15-
1:15 p.m. to receive a briefing on the NAEP 2000 Mathematics Report 
Card. 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 on May 11 from 1:15-2 p.m. 
to receive a briefing on the Baltimore Sun's ``Reading by Nine'' 
Project. From 2:00-2:45 p.m., the Board will receive an update from 
Congressional staff on ``NAEP/NAGB: View from the Hill.'' From 3:00-
4:15 p.m., the full Board will have a panel discussion on NAEP and 
NAGB, Past Reflections and Future Directions. Subsequently, at 4:15-5 
p.m., the Board will receive a briefing on the Third International 
Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 1999 Benchmarking Study after 
which the May 11 meeting will conclude.
    On May 12, the Nominations Committee will convene from 7:30 a.m.-
8:30 a.m. to discuss the Committee's organization and work schedule.
    From 8:30-9:30 a.m., the Board will receive an update and discuss 
the NAEP 2004 Mathematics Framework project. The Board will then hear 
and take action on the Committee reports from 9:30 a.m. to 12 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: April 25, 2001.
Sharif Shakrani,
Deputy Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 01-10863 Filed 4-30-01; 8:45 am]
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