[Federal Register: October 23, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 206)] [Notices] [Page 54990-54991] 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 the open portions of the meeting. DATES: November 14-16, 1996 TIME: November 14--Design and Methodology Committee, and Subject Area Committee #2, 3:00-5:00 p.m., (open); Executive Committee, 5:00-6:00 p.m. (open); 6:00-7:00 p.m. (closed). November 15-- Full Board, 9:00 a.m., (open) Achievement Levels Committee 10:00-11:00 a.m., (open), 11:00-12:00 noon, (closed); Subject Area Committee #1, and Reporting and Dissemination Committee, 10:00-12:00 noon, (open); Full Board 12:00 noon-2:00 p.m. (closed), 2:15-4:30 p.m. (open). November 16-- Nominiations Committee, 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m., (open); Full Board, 9:00 a.m. until adjournment, approximately 12:00 noon (open). LOCATION: The Hotel Washington, 15th and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer, National Assessment Governing 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. On November 14, from 3:00-5:00 P.M., there will be open meetings of the Design and Methodology Committee and Subject Area Committee #2. The Design and Methodology Committee will discuss several policy areas related to the NAEP redesign including, but not limited to, changing sampling procedures to reduce the burden on states, policy options for states wishing to exercise flexible subject area or grade-level assessments, and options for international benchmarking with NAEP. Subject Area Committee #2 will meet to review the status of the 1997 arts probe and 1998 writing assessment, and to discuss NAEP redesign policy implementation issues. Also, on November 14, the Executive Committee will meet in partially closed session. During the open portion of the meeting, 5:00-6:00 p.m., the Committee will hear an update on the NAEP redesign and review the proposed schedule of assessments for the nest eight to ten years. The Committee will then meet in closed session from 6:00-7:00 p.m. to review official government cost estimates for the 1997 RFP for NAEP programs. 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. On November 15, the full Board will convene in open session at 9:00 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 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon [[Page 54991]] there will be meetings of three of the Board's standing committees: Achievement Levels, Reporting and Dissemination, Subject Area #1. The Achievement Levels Committee will meet in partially closed session. During the open portion of the meeting, 10:00-11:00 a.m., the Committee will discuss the 1996 science level-setting process and proposed achievement level descriptions. The Committee will then meet in closed session from 111:00 a.m.-12:00 noon to discuss the results of the current 1996 science level-setting and to review the current analysis of data and proposed exemplar items. This part of the meeting must be conducted in closed session because references will be made to specific items from the assessment 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. Between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, there will be open meetings of the Reporting and Dissemination Committee, and Subject Area Committee #1. Agenda items for the Reporting and Dissemination Committee include a discussion of redesign issues related to timely release of NAEP reports and definitions of standard, comprehensive, and focussed reports. Subject Area Committee #1 will meet to review the status of the 1998 civics and reading assessments, and to discuss NAEP redesign policy implementation issues. The full Board will reconvene in closed session, beginning at 12:00 noon, to hear a briefing on the proposed achievement levels for the 1996 science assessment. This part of the meeting must be conducted in closed session because reference will be made to specific items from the assessment 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. Beginning at 2:15 p.m., the meeting will be open to the public. During the open portion of the meeting the Board will hear two presentations: (1) the New Education Entity--Follow-up to the National Education Summit, and (2) an update on the NAEP redesign initiative. On November 16, 1 the Nominations Committee will meet in open session from 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. The Committee will review procedures to be used for the solicitation of the names of individuals to succeed the Board members whose terms expire September 30, 1997. The expiring terms are in the following categories: general public, non-public school, business, local board of education, state board of education, state legislator (Republican), and test and measurement specialist. Beginning at 9:00 a.m., until adjournment at approximately 12:00 noon, the full Board will reconvene. The agenda includes a presentation on international standards and reports from the standing committees-- Subject Areas #1 and #2, Achievement Levels, Reporting and Dissemination, Design and Methodology, and Executive. 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 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: October 18, 1996. Roy Truby, Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board. [FR Doc. 96-27134 Filed 10-22-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-M