[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 5, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 58207]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19957]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Public Hearing

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education
SUMMARY: The National Assessment Governing Board is announcing a public 
hearing on October 25, 2005 to obtain comment on the draft 2009 Science 
Framework for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). 
Public and private parties and organizations are invited to present 
written and/or oral testimony. The forum will be held at the Phoenix 
Park Hotel, 520 North Capitol Street, NW., Washington, DC from 9:30 
a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
    Background: Under Public Law 107-279, the Governing board is 
responsible for determining the content and methodology of NAEP 
assessments. The Board also has responsibility for developing ``a 
process for review of the [NAEP] assessment, which includes the active 
participation of teachers, curriculum specialists, local school board 
administrators, parents, and concerned members of the public.'' The 
draft framework is the result of a comprehensive process involving 
participants from all these groups.
    The framework, subject to approval by the Governing Board, 
describes the content and format for a new NAEP science assessment to 
be administered beginning in 2009 at grades 4, 8, and 12.
    The frame work covers a broad range of scientific content and 
practices in Physical, Life, and Earth/Space sciences. It was developed 
by panels of educators, scientists, and interested members of the 
public through a widely-inclusive process.
    The draft framework is available on the Web site of the Governing 
Board at http://www.nagb.org. Other related material on the Governing 
Board and the National Assessment may be found at this Web site and at 
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.
    The Board is seeking comment from policymakers, science educators, 
researchers, state and local school administrators, assessment 
specialists, parents of children in elementary and secondary schools, 
and interested members of the public. Representatives of the National 
Assessment Governing Board will conduct the hearing to receive 
testimony, and may ask clarifying questions or respond to 
presentations. Oral presentations should not exceed ten minutes. 
Testimony will become part of the public record.
    All views will be considered by the Governing Board Committee when 
it takes final action on the NAEP 2009 Science Framework, which is 
anticipated in November 2005.
    To register to present oral testimony on October 25, 2005 at the 
Phoenix Park Hotel, please call Tessa Regis, of the NAGB staff, at 
(202) 357-7500 or send an e-mail to [email protected] by Friday, 
October 21. Written testimony should be sent by mail, fax or e-mail for 
receipt in the Board office by October 26.
    Testimony should be sent to:

National Assessment Governing Board, 800 North Capitol Street, NW.--
Suite 825, Washington, DC 20002, Attn: Mary Crovo, Fax: (202) 357-6945, 
E-mail: [email protected].

    For further information, please contact Charles Smith or Mary Crovo 
at (202) 357-6938.
    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 October 17, 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.

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 set policy 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, planning and executing the initial public 
release of NAEP reports, and developing guidelines for reporting and 
disseminating results.
    Summaries of the forum, 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 
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern standard time.

    Dated: September 30, 2005.
Munira Mwalimu,
Operations Officer, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 05-19957 Filed 10-4-05; 8:45 am]
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