[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 135 (Monday, July 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42057-42059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-16795]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board, ED.

ACTION: Notice of open and closed meeting sessions.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda for 
the upcoming meeting of the National Assessment Governing Board (Board) 
and also describes the specific functions of the Board. Notice of this 
meeting is required under Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act. This notice is issued to provide members of the general 
public with an opportunity to attend and/or provide comments. 
Individuals who will need special accommodations in order to attend the 
meeting (e.g. 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 26, 2013. 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 1-August 3, 2013.

Times

August 1: Committee Meetings

    Assessment Development Committee: Closed Session: 8:00 a.m.-1:45 
p.m.

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    Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP Background Information: 2:00 p.m.-4:00 
p.m.
    Executive Committee: Open Session: 4:30 p.m.-5:15 p.m.; Closed 
Session: 5:15 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

August 2: Full Board and Committee Meetings

    Full Board: Open Session: 8:30 a.m.-9:45 a.m.; Closed Session: 
12:45 p.m.-1:45 p.m.; Open Session: 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
    Committee Meetings:
    Reporting and Dissemination Committee (R&D): Open Session: 10:00 
a.m.-12:30 p.m.
    Assessment Development Committee (ADC): Closed Session: 10:00 a.m.-
12:30 p.m.
    Committee on Standards, Design and Methodology (COSDAM): Open 
Session: 10:00 a.m.-11:20 a.m.; Closed Session: 11:20 a.m.-12:25 p.m.; 
Open session: 12:25 p.m.-12:30 p.m.

August 3: Full Board and Committee Meetings

    Nominations Committee: Closed Session: 7:30 a.m.-8:15 a.m.
    Full Board: Open Session: 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
    Location: Royal Sonesta Harbor Court, 550 Light Street, Baltimore, 
MD 21202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Munira Mwalimu, Executive 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 
(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 the following: selecting subject areas to be 
assessed, developing assessment frameworks and specifications, 
developing appropriate student achievement levels for each grade and 
subject tested, developing standards and procedures for interstate and 
national comparisons, developing guidelines for reporting and 
disseminating results, and releasing initial NAEP results to the 
public.
    On August 1, 2013, the Assessment Development Committee (ADC) will 
meet in closed session from 8:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. to review secure 
NAEP test materials in three areas: (1) Science Interactive Computer 
Tasks (ICTs) at grades 4, 8, and 12 for the 2014 pilot test, in 
preparation for the 2015 NAEP Science assessment; (2) Science Hands-on 
Tasks (HOTs) at grades 4, 8, and 12 for the 2014 pilot test, in 
preparation for the 2015 NAEP Science assessment; and (3) Computer-
based tasks and items at grade 8 for the 2014 Technology and 
Engineering Literacy (TEL) assessment. The review of these materials 
must be conducted in closed session because the ADC members will be 
provided with secure items and materials which are not yet available 
for release to the general public. Premature disclosure of the secure 
test items and materials would compromise the integrity and 
substantially impede implementation of the secure NAEP assessments and 
is therefore protected by exemption 9(B) of section 552b(c) of Title 5 
of the United States Code.
    On August 1, 2013, the Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP Background 
Information will meet in open session from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
Thereafter, the Executive Committee will convene in open session from 
4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. and in closed session from 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 
p.m. During the closed session, the Executive Committee will receive 
and discuss costs for specific activities under individual and 
collective current contracts, and independent government cost estimates 
from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) staff on 
various options for proposed item development, data collection, scoring 
and analysis, and reporting of the National Assessment of Educational 
Progress (NAEP) for 2013-2017, and the implications of the cost 
estimates and the available funds on future NAEP activities. The costs 
of specific activities budgeted under current contracts would disclose 
financial information that is proprietary, protected under Section 
552b(c) (4) of Title 5 U.S.C. The discussion of independent government 
cost estimates for the NAEP 2013-2017 contracts is necessary for 
ensuring that NAEP contracts meet congressionally mandated goals and 
adhere to Board policies on NAEP assessments available at www.nagb.org/policies.html. 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 by providing 
contractors attending an unfair advantage in procurement and contract 
negotiations for NAEP. 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 of Title 5 U.S.C.
    On August 2, 2013, the full Board will meet in open session from 
8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., followed by a closed session from 12:45 p.m. to 
1:45 p.m., and in open session from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
    On August 2, 2013, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., the Board will 
review and approve the August 2-3, 2013 Board meeting agenda and 
meeting minutes from the May 17-18, 2013 Quarterly Board meeting. 
Thereafter, the Chairman will open the meeting and introduce the 
Maryland State Superintendent Lillian Lowery who will then provide 
welcome remarks and address the Governing Board. Following her remarks, 
Governing Board Member and Former CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools 
Andres Alonso will welcome the Board and provide welcome remarks.
    This session will be followed by a report from the Executive 
Director of the Governing Board, and updates from the Commissioner of 
the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Director of 
the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Thereafter, the Board will 
recess for Committee meetings from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The 
Reporting and Dissemination Committee will meet in open session from 
10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
    The Assessment Development Committee (ADC) will meet in closed 
session from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to continue its review of secure 
NAEP test materials in three areas: (1) Science Interactive Computer 
Tasks (ICTs) at grades 4, 8, and 12 for the 2014 pilot test, in 
preparation for the 2015 NAEP Science assessment; (2) Science Hands-on 
Tasks (HOTs) at grades 4, 8, and 12 for the 2014 pilot test, in 
preparation for the 2015 NAEP Science assessment; and (3) Computer-
based tasks and items at grade 8 for the 2014 Technology and 
Engineering Literacy (TEL) assessment. The review of these materials 
must be conducted in closed session because the ADC members will be 
provided with secure items and materials which are not yet available 
for release to the general public. Premature disclosure of the secure 
test items and materials would compromise the integrity and 
substantially impede implementation of the secure NAEP assessments and 
is therefore protected by exemption 9(B) of section 552b(c) of Title 5 
of the United States Code.
    Following this review, the Committee will also receive an update on 
the TEL 2013 pilot test at grade 8 with preliminary data analyses and 
secure items shared at the session, followed by an update on reporting 
information from the 2012 grade 4 computer-based Writing pilot. This 
presentation will

[[Page 42059]]

include a demonstration of a Web site to convey the results, which have 
not yet been released to the public. Premature disclosure of the secure 
test items and materials that have not yet been released to the public 
would compromise the integrity and substantially impede implementation 
of the secure NAEP assessments and is therefore protected by exemption 
9(B) of section 552b(c) of Title 5 of the United States Code.
    The Committee on Standards, Design and Methodology (COSDAM) will 
meet in open session from 10:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m., in closed session 
from 11:20 a.m. to 12:25 p.m., and thereafter in open session from 
12:25 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. During the closed session, COSDAM members will 
receive a briefing on statistical analyses of results from the NAEP 
Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL) pilot assessment. These data 
have not yet been released and therefore cannot be disclosed to the 
general public at this time. Premature disclosure of these secure 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. From 12:25 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. in open session, COSDAM will 
identify future agenda items for discussion.
    Following the Committee sessions, the full Board will meet in 
closed session from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. to receive a briefing on 
the NAEP 2013 Reading and Mathematics results for Grades 4 and 8. The 
Board will receive an embargoed briefing on preliminary results which 
will include secure test items, embargoed assessment data, and results 
that cannot be discussed in an open meeting prior to their official 
approval and release. Premature disclosure of these results would 
significantly impede implementation of the NAEP assessment program, and 
is therefore protected by exemption 9(B) of section 552b(c) of Title 5 
United States Code.
    After this closed session briefing, the Board will meet in open 
session from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. From 2:00 p.m.-2:45 p.m. the Board 
will receive a report of the Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP Background 
Information. From 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., the Board will receive a 
briefing and have discussions on the Common Core State Assessment 
Consortia. From 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Board will have policy 
discussions on Interpreting NAEP Results Using Preparedness Research 
Findings available at http://www.nagb.gov/what-we-do/preparedness-research.html. The August 2, 2013 Board meeting is scheduled to adjourn 
at 5:00 p.m.
    On August 3, 2013, the Nominations Committee will meet in closed 
session from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. to discuss the status of potential 
candidates for Board terms beginning October 1, 2013, followed by 
discussions on the 2014 nominations cycle. The Committee's discussions 
on Board nominations pertain solely to internal personnel rules and 
practices of an agency and information of a personal nature where 
disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal 
privacy. As such, the discussions are protected by exemptions 2 and 6 
of section 552b(c) of Title 5 of the United States Code.
    On August 3, 2013, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. the full Board will 
receive a briefing on how NAEP survey questions are developed and used. 
Following these discussions, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., the Board 
will discuss topics related to future initiatives and the draft policy 
statement on the conduct and reporting of NAEP. The Board is scheduled 
to receive reports from the standing Committees and take action on 
Committee recommendations from 10:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The August 3, 
2013 meeting is scheduled to adjourn at 12:00 p.m.
    A verbatim transcript of the meeting, 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 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern 
Time, Monday through Friday.
    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister/index.html.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free at 1-866-512-1800; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-0000. Note: The official version 
of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. 
Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register 
and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: 
www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

    Dated: July 9, 2013.
Cornelia S. Orr,
Deputy Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), 
U.S. Department of Education.
[FR Doc. 2013-16795 Filed 7-12-13; 11:15 am]
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