[Federal Register: April 26, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 82)] [Notices] [Page 18580-18581] 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 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. DATES: May 9-11, 1996. TIME: May 9--Subject Area Committee #2, 3:00-5:00 p.m. (open); Design and Methodology Committee, 3:00-5:00 p.m. (open); Executive Committee, 5:00-5:45 p.m. (closed), 5:45-7:00 p.m. (open). May 10--Full Board, 8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. (open); Achievement Levels Committee, 9:30-11:30 a.m. (closed); Subject Area Committee #1, 9:30-11:30 a.m. (open); Reporting and Dissemination Committee, 9:30-11:30 a.m. (open); Full Board, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (closed), 1:00-5:00 p.m. (open). May 11-- Full Board, 8:30 a.m. until adjournment, approximately 12:00 noon (open). LOCATION: The Madison Hotel, 15th and M Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer, National Assessment Government Board, Suite 825, 800 North Capitol Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 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. [[Page 18581]] On May 9, two committees will meet in open session from 3:00-5:00 p.m. Subject Area Committee #1 will meet to review the status of the 1998 NAEP Civics Item Development work, and will review and discuss a draft framework development policy. The Design and Methodology Committee will meet to hear an update on the Design/Feasibility Team, and discuss the NAEP/State linking project, and the NAEP validity studies. Also, on May 9, the Executive Committee will meet in closed session from 5:00-5:45 p.m. The Committee will meet to discuss the development of cost estimates for NAEP and future contract initiatives. Public disclosure of this information would likely have an adverse financial effect 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. Beginning at 5:45 p.m., until adjournment, 7:00 p.m., the Executive Committee will meet in open session to consider the selection of subjects for the next framework development. On May 10, the full Board will convene in open session at 8:30 a.m. The agenda for this session of the full Board meeting includes approval of the agenda, the Executive Director's Report, and an update on the NAEP project. Between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., there will be open meetings of the following subcommittees: Subject Area Committee #1, and Reporting and Dissemination. Subject Area Committee #1 will review the draft 1998 NAEP Writing Specifications, prior to Board action on May 11, and will review and discuss a draft framework development policy. Agenda items for the Reporting and Dissemination Committee include consideration of reporting schedules for 1994 and 1996 NAEP examinations; catalogue of NAEP publications; and market basket approach to NAEP reporting. Also, on May 1, the Achievement Levels Committee will meet in closed session between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to discuss the results of the pilot test for the science assessment. The discussions will include references to specific items for the assessment, the disclosure of which might significantly frustrate implementation of the NAEP. This meeting must be closed to the public because reference may be made to data which may be misinterpreted, incorrect, or incomplete. Premature disclosure of this 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 full Board will reconvene, in closed session, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. During this session the Board will hear a briefing on the 1994 Transcript Study. The discussions will include references to specific items from the assessment, the disclosure of which might significantly frustrate implementation of the NAEP. This meeting must be closed to the public because reference may be made to data which may be misinterpreted, incorrect, or incomplete. Premature disclosure of this data might significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed agency action. Such matters are protection by exemption 9(B) of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C. Beginning at 1:00 P.M., the full Board will convene in open session. Agenda items for this portion of the meeting include a briefing on National and International Standards given by a representative from the American Federation of Teachers; a presentation on the 1998 Writing Specifications given by representatives from American College Testing; and continued work on NAGB's planning initiative. On May 11, beginning at 8:30 a.m. the full Board will reconvene in open session. Agenda items include a presentation on the Colorado State Assessment Program; a presentation on the development of an NAGB home- page on the Internet; and reports from the Board's standing subcommittees--Subject Area Committees #1 and #2, Achievement Levels, Reporting and Dissemination, Design and Methodology, and Executive. The meeting of the National Assessment Governing Board will be adjourned at approximately 12:00 Noon. The public is being given less than fifteen days notice of this meeting because of the illness of key staff persons. A summary of the activities of the closed and partially closed sessions and other related matters, which are informative to the public and consistent with the policy of section 5 U.S.C. 552b, will be available to the public within 14 days after 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: April 23, 1996. Roy Truby, Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board. [FR Doc. 96-10341 Filed 4-25-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 1400-01-M