[Federal Register: July 6, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 130)]
[Notices]
[Page 41643]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06jy00-49]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
The Use of Tests When Making High-Stakes Decisions for Students:
A Resource Guide for Educators and Policymakers
AGENCY: Office for Civil Rights, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of availability of draft document and request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights announces the
availability for public comment of a draft document entitled ``The Use
of Tests When Making High-Stakes Decisions for Students: A Resource
Guide for Educators and Policymakers.'' The resource guide is designed
to provide educators and policymakers with a useful, practical tool
that will assist in their development and implementation of policies
that involve the use of tests in making high-stakes decisions for
students. The guide provides information about relevant Federal non-
discrimination standards and professionally recognized test measurement
principles, as well as a collection of resources related to the non-
discrimination and test measurement principles discussed in the guide.
DATES: We must receive your comments on the draft document on or before
August 7, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments and requests for copies of the draft
document to Jeanette J. Lim, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., room 5212 Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-1100.
Telephone: (202) 205-5557 or 1-800-421-3481. For all comments submitted
by letter, you must include the term ``Testing Comments.'' If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the TDD
number at (202) 260-0471 or 1-800-USA-LEARN. The draft document is also
available through the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/testing/.
If you prefer to send your comments through the Internet, use the
following address: ocr@ed.gov
You must include the term ``Testing Comments'' in the subject line
of your electronic message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeanette J. Lim. Telephone: (202) 205-
5557 or 1-800-421-3481. If you use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD), you may call the TDD number at (202) 260-0471 or 1-800-USA-
LEARN.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audio-tape, or computer
diskette) by contacting the Office for Civil Rights' Customer Service
Team at (202) 205-5557 or 1-800-421-3481.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the draft resource guide is
to provide educators and policymakers with information about Federal
non-discrimination standards and test measurement principles concerning
the proper use of tests in making high-stakes decisions for students.
The Department is accepting public comments on the draft resource
guide.
Earlier versions of the draft resource guide have been reviewed by
the National Academy of Science's Board on Testing and Assessment
(BOTA), the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division (CRD),
and dozens of groups and individuals, including educators, parents,
teachers, business leaders, policymakers, and others. BOTA conducted a
public hearing on the resource guide on January 26, 2000. This draft
seeks to respond to BOTA's, CRD's and other stakeholders' comments.
Invitation To Comment
We invite you to submit comments regarding this draft resource
guide.
During and after the comment period, you may inspect all comments
received during the public comment period in room 5036, Switzer
Building, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC, between the hours of 10:00
a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday of each week
except Federal holidays.
Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities in Reviewing the Public
Record
On request, we will supply an appropriate aid, such as a reader or
print magnifier, to an individual with a disability who needs
assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public
record for this draft resource guide. If you want to schedule an
appointment for this type of aid, you may call (202) 205-8113 or (202)
260-9895. If you use a TDD, you may call the Federal Information Relay
Service at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF), on the Internet at either of the
following sites:
http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html
To use the PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at either of the previous sites. If you have questions
about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO),
toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC area at (202)
512-1530.
Note: The official version of this notice 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: http://
www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html
Dated: June 28, 2000.
Norma V. Cantu,
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
[FR Doc. 00-16860 Filed 7-5-00; 8:45 am]
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