[Federal Register: July 18, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 139)] [Notices] [Page 37453-37455] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education. ACTION: Notice of partially closed meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the National Assessment Governing Board. This [[Page 37454]] 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 the general public of their opportunity to attend the open portions of the meeting. DATES: August 1-3, 1996. TIMES: August 1, 1996--Subject Area Committee #2, 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m., (closed); Subject Area Committee #1, 3:00-5:00 p.m., (open); Design and Methodology Committee, 3:00-5:00 p.m., (open); and Executive Committee, 5:00-6:00 p.m. (open), 6:00-7:00 p.m. (closed); August 2, 1996--Full Board, 8:45 a.m.-10:00 a.m., (open); Subject Area Committee #2, 10:00- 11:00 a.m., (closed), 11:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon, (open); Achievement Levels Committee, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon, (open); Reporting and Dissemination Committee, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon, (open); Full Board, 12:00 Noon-1:30 p.m., (closed), 1:30-4:15 p.m., (open); August 3, 1996--Full Board, 8:30 a.m. until adjournment, approximately 12:00 Noon, (open). LOCATION: The Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street, NW., Washington, DC. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer, National Assessment Governing Board, Suite 825, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., 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 (Title IV of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994) (Pub. L. 103-382). The Board is established to formulate policy guidelines for the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The Board is responsible for selecting subject areas to be assessed, developing assessment objectives, identifying appropriate achievement goals for each grade and subject tested, and establishing standards and procedures for interstate and national comparisons. The Subject Area Committee #2 (SAC 2) will meet in closed session on August 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and partially closed session on August 2 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. On August 1, the Committee will review the items for the 1997 grade 8 arts probe and the 1997 grade 12 arts field test. On August 2, the Committee will review the draft items and findings from the NAEP writing pilot test. These meetings must be conducted in closed session because references will be made to specific items from the assessments and premature disclosure of the information presented for review would be likely to significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed agency action. Such matters are protected by exemption (9)(B) of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C. During the open portion of the SAC #2 meeting from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon, the Committee will receive an update on test development activities in the arts and review the draft framework policy. On August 1, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., there will be open meetings of Subject Area Committee #1 (SAC #1) and the Design and the Methodology Committee. There are three agenda items for SAC #1 meeting: (1) Review of the draft paper on NAEP foreign language issues and options; (2) update presentation on test development activities in reading and civics; and (3) review of the draft policy framework. The Design and Methodology Committee will receive a report from the chair of the Ad Hoc Advisory Panel meeting on sampling issues for the 1998 cycle of NAEP. They will also discuss the technical implications of the Design/Feasibility report submitted to the Board as part of its planning effort. Also on August 1, there will be a partially closed meeting of the Executive Committee. During the open portion of the meeting, 5:00-6:00 p.m., the Committee will discuss procedures for communication between ACES and NAGB and hear an update on the Work Group on Planning. The Committee will then meet in closed session from 6:00-7:00 p.m. to continue the discussions about the development of cost estimates for the NAEP and future contract initiatives. Public disclosure of this information would likely have an adverse financial affect on the NAEP program. The discussion of this information would be likely to significantly frustrate 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. Also in closed session, the Committee will discuss the qualifications of current Board members to serve as Chairman and Vice Chairman of NAGB. Based upon these discussions, the Board will elect a Vice Chairman and recommend a Chairman to the Secretary. This portion of the session will relate solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency and will disclose information of a personal nature where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy and, as such, is protected by exemptions (2) and (6) of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C. On August 2, 1996 the full Board will convene in open session from 8:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The agenda for this session includes approval of the agenda, the report of the Executive Director, and an update on NAEP by the Commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics. Between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 Noon, there will be a partially closed meeting of the Subject Area Committee #2, and there will be open meetings of the Achievement Levels and the Reporting and Dissemination committees. The Achievement Levels Committee will discuss the final plans for the second pilot study in preparation for the 1996 level setting activities in science. They will also review the plans for the level- setting meeting in science, including composition of panels, feedback information for panelists, and procedures for the selection of exemplar exercises in science. The Reporting and Dissemination Committee will consider the following items: A release plan for the 1994 long-term trend report; the use of NAEP framework by teachers and curriculum developers; within-grade reporting of 1996 NAEP science results; the reporting of the link between NAEP and TIMSS (Third International Mathematics and Science Study); and the market basket approach in NAEP reporting. Beginning at 12:00 Noon, until 1:30 p.m., the full Board will meet in closed session. The Board will hear a briefing on the Long Term Trend Report for 1994. This report will include references to specific items from the assessments. This portion of the meeting must be closed because reference may be made to data which may be misinterpreted, incorrect, or incomplete. Premature disclosure of these data might significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed agency action. Such matters are protected by exemption (9)(B) of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C. The meeting will be open from 1:30 until 4:15 p.m. when the Board will discuss the recommendations for the redesign of NAEP and hear an update an ACES. On August 3, at 8:30 a.m., until adjournment, approximately 12:00 Noon, the full Board will reconvene. The agenda includes discussion on the implementation of the NAEP Redesign; reports from the Board's standing committees--Subject Area #1, Subject Area 2, Achievement Levels, Reporting and Dissemination, Design and Methodology, and the Executive Committee; and election of a Vice Chairman and recommendation of a Chairman to the Secretary. [[Page 37455]] Summaries of the activities of the closed sessions and related matters, 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, N.W., Washington, D.C., from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Dated: July 15, 1996. Roy Truby, Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board. [FR Doc. 96-18261 Filed 7-17-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-M