[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 29 (Monday, February 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7486-7487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2784]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of open meeting and closed meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 February 25, 2005. 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 3-5, 2005.

Times: 
March 3

    Committee Meetings: Assessment Development Committee: Closed 
Session--12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.;
    Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP 12th Grade Participation: Open Session--
2:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.;
    Executive Committee: Open Session--4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Closed 
session 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

March 4

    Full Board: Open Session--8 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Closed Session 12 
p.m.-1 p.m.; Open session 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
    Committee Meetings: Assessment Development Committee: Open 
Session--10 a.m. to 12 p.m.;
    Committee on Standards, Design, and Methodology: Open Session--10 
a.m. to 12 p.m.;
    Reporting and Dissemination Committee: Open Session--10 a.m. to 12 
p.m.;

March 5

    Full Board: Open Session--8 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Closed Session--12 
p.m. to 1 p.m.; Open Session--1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Location: Four Seasons 
Hotel, 98 San Jacinto Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78701.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Munira Mwalimu, Operations Officer,

[[Page 7487]]

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, as amended.
    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 
March 3 from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to review secure test items for the 
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 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 March 3, the Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP 12th Grade Participation 
and Motivation will meet in open session from 2:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. 
The Executive Committee will meet in open session on March 3 from 4:30 
p.m. to 6 p.m.
    The Executive Committee will meet in closed session on March 3 from 
5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. to receive 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 March 4, the full Board will meet in open session from 8:30 a.m. 
to 12 p.m. The Board will approve the agenda and the Chairman will 
introduce new Board members, who will then be administered the Oath of 
Office. The Board will then hear the Executive Director's report and 
receive an update on the work of the National Center for Education 
Statistics (NCES) from the Commissioner of NCES.
    From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on March 4, 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.
    On March 4, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., the full Board will meet in 
closed session. The Committee on Standards, Design, and Methodology 
will update the Board on the 12th grade Mathematics Achievement Level 
Setting Process and the Committee deliberations on January 11-12, 2005, 
in Jackson, Mississippi. The proposed achievement level cut scores and 
percent of students at each achievement level (Advanced, Proficient, 
Basic, and Below Basic) will be discussed with the Board for future 
approval. This information cannot be released to the public prior to 
the October release of the 2005 assessment in Mathematics. The No Child 
Left Behind Act of 2001 requires NAGB to release these data, in 
collaboration with NCES, after a thorough review of the data and report 
content for national and state release. These data constitute a major 
basis for the national release and cannot be released in an open 
meeting prior to the official release of the report. The meeting must 
be therefore be conducted in closed session as disclosure of data 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 March 4, the full Board will meet in open session from 1 p.m. to 
4 p.m. Board members will receive and discuss preliminary 
recommendations from the Ad Hoc Committee on 12th Grade NAEP. This item 
will be followed by an update on the NAEP 2009 Science Framework 
contract from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Board will then hear a 
presentation from ACT Inc., on recent research on readiness for college 
and training for work from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. after which the March 4 
session of the board meeting will adjourn.
    On March 5, the Board's Nominations Committee will meet in open 
session from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The full Board will convene in open 
session on March 5 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
    From 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., the Board will hear a presentation on 
the High school initiative. Board actions on policies and Committee 
reports are scheduled to take place between 10:45 a.m. and 12 p.m., 
upon which the March 5, 2005 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: February 9, 2005.
Sharif M. Shakrani,
Deputy Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 05-2784 Filed 2-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M