[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 136 (Friday, July 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42704-42705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16163]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of open meeting and closed meetings.

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SUMMARY: The 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 members of the 
general public of their opportunity to attend. Individuals who will 
need special accommodations 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 July 30, 2004. 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: August 5-August 7, 2004.
    Times:
    August 5: Committee Meetings: Assessment Development Committee: 
closed session--9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP 12th 
Grade Participation: open session--2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Executive 
Committee: open session--4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; closed session--5 p.m. to 
6 p.m.
    August 6: Full Board: open session--8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Committee 
Meetings: Assessment Development Committee: open session--10 a.m. to 12 
p.m.; Committee on Standards, Design, and Methodology; open sessison--
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Reporting and Dissemination Committee: open 
session--10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
    August 7: Full Board: open session--8:15 a.m. to 12 p.m.
    Location: The St. Regis Hotel, 923 16th and K Streets, NW., 
Washington, DC 20006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Munira Mwalimu, Operations Officer, 
National Assessment Government 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, as amended.

[[Page 42705]]

    The Board is established to formulate policy guidelines for the 
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The Board's 
responsibilities include selecting subject areas to be assessed, 
developing assessment objectives, developing appropriate student 
achievement levels for each grade and subject tested, developing 
guidelines for reporting and disseminating results, and developing 
standards and procedures for interstate and national comparisons.
    The Assessment Development Committee will meet in closed session on 
August 5 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to review secure test items for the 
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2006 assessments in 
U.S. History and Civics, and the NAEP 2007 Reading Assessment. The 
meeting must be conducted in closed session as disclosure of proposed 
test items from the NAEP assessments would significantly impede 
implementation of the NAEP program, and is therefore protected by 
exemption 9(B) of section 552b(c) of title 5 U.S.C.
    On August 5, the Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP 12th Grade Participation 
and Motivation will meet in open session from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The 
Execution Committee will meet in open session on August 5 from 4:30 
p.m. to 5 p.m. The committee will then meet in closed session from 5 
p.m. to 6 p.m. to discuss independent government cost estimates for 
contracts related to the National Assessment of Educational Progress 
(NAEP). This part 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 and will provide an 
advantage to potential bidders attending the meeting. The discussion of 
this information would be likely to significantly impede 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 August 6, the full Board will meet in open session from 8 a.m. 
to 5 p.m. The Board will approve the agenda; recognize departing Board 
members; hear the Executive Director's report; receive an update on the 
work of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) from the 
Commissioner of NCES, Robert Lerner; and discuss NAEP inclusion and 
accommodation issues.
    From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on August 6, the Board's standing 
committees-- the Assessment Development Committee; the Committee on 
Standards, Design and Methodology; and the Reporting and Dissemination 
Committee--will meet in open session.
    From 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m., Board members will receive an ethics 
briefing from staff of the Office of General Counsel. This will be 
followed by Board discussion and action on the NAEP 2009 Reading 
Framework from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Board will then receive a briefing 
on models for describing ``readiness'' for postsecondary education from 
3:15 p.m. to 5 p.m., after which the August 6 session of the Board 
meeting will adjourn.
    On August 7, the full Board will meet in open session from 8:15 
a.m. to 12 p.m. At 8:15 a.m., the Board will receive a briefing on pre-
conference sessions that took place at the Large-Scale Assessment 
Conference. From 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., the Board will discuss NAEP 
Reporting Guidelines. This item will be followed by a presentation on 
student ``readiness'' for postsecondary options from 9:15 a.m. to 9:45 
a.m.
    From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., the Board will discuss issues related to 
12th Grade NAEP. Board actions on policies and Committee reports are 
scheduled to take place between 11 a.m. and 11:45 a.m., Board members 
will elect the Vice Chair from 11:45 to 12 noon, upon which the August 
7, 2004, session of the Board meeting will adjourn.
    Detailed minutes of the meeting, including summaries of the 
activities of the closed sessions and related matters that 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 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern standard 
time.

    Dated: July 13, 2004.
Charles E. Smith,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 04-16163 Filed 7-15-04; 8:45 am]
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