[Federal Register: October 31, 1995 (Volume 60, Number 210)]
[Notices]               
[Page 55366-55367]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 
National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board, Education.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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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: November 16-18, 1995.
    Time: November 16, 1995--Achievement Levels Committee, 2:00-4:00 
P.M., (open); and Subject Area Committee #1, 5:00 P.M.-6:00 P.M., 
open). November 17, 1995--Executive Committee, 7:30 A.M.-8:30 A.M. 
(closed), 8:30-9:00 A.M. (open); Full Board, 9:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M. , 
(open); Design and Methodology Committee, Reporting and 
Dissemination Committee, and Subject Area Committee #2, 10:00 A.M.-
12:00 Noon, (open); Full Board, 12:00 Noon-4:30 P.M. (open). 
November 18, 1995--Nominations Committee 8:00-9:00 A.M. (open); Full 
Board, 9:00 A.M. until adjournment, approximately 12:00 Noon (open).
    Location: Four Seasons Olympic Hotel, 411 University Street, 
Seattle, Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer, National Assessment Governing 
Board, Suite 825, 800 North Capitol Street, N.W., 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 Education 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 16, the Achievement Levels Committee of the National 
Assessment Governing Board will meet in open session from 2:00 p.m. to 
4:00 p.m. The Committee will meet to discuss control procedures for 
ensuring error-free NAEP data, and planning issues affecting the NAEP 
level-setting activities in the 1996 science assessment. Subject Area 
Committee #1 will meet in open session from 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. to 
discuss the progress of the NAEP civics planning project.
    On November 17, the Executive Committee will meet in closed session 
from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to continue discussion about the 
development of cost estimates for NAEP and future contract initiatives 
that were begun at the August 1995 meeting of the Board. 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 

[[Page 55367]]
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 8:30 
a.m., the Executive Committee will convene in open session to hear a 
presentation by a representative from the National Science Foundation 
regarding a proposal to use NARP assessments to measure progress in 
certain NSF-sponsored initiatives during 1996-1997.
    The full Board will convene in open session from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 
a.m. The agenda for this session includes approval of the agenda, 
introduction of new Board members, the report of the Executive 
Director, a presentation by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, 
State of Washington, and an update on NAEP by the Acting Commissioner 
of the National Center for Education Statistics. Between 10:00 A.M. and 
12:00 noon, there will be open meetings of the following subcommittees: 
Design and Methodology, Reporting and Dissemination, and Subject Area 
Committee #2. The Design and Methodology Committee will consider 
revisions to the sampling policy for states, and be briefed by NCES on 
ETS-proposed NAEP design changes for 1996 and 1998. The agenda for the 
Reporting and Dissemination Committee consists of three items: (1) 
Plans for release of 1994 NAEP Reports, (2) long-range planning for 
NAEP reporting of 1996 and 1998 results, and (3) implementation of 
policy on including disabled and limited English-speaking students in 
NAEP. Subject Area Committee #2 will discuss the progress of the NAEP 
writing specifications development project.
    Beginning at 12:00 noon, until 4:30 P.M., the full Board will meet 
in open session. The Board will hear an update on the NAGB planning 
initiative activities, and a presentation by a representative from the 
National Academy of Sciences on the proposed NAEP evaluation design.
    On November 18, the Nominations Committee will meet in open session 
from 8:00 A.M. to 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, 1996. The expiring terms 
are in the following categories: local superintendent, general public 
(2), testing and measurement expert (2), state superintendent, and 12th 
grade teacher.
    Beginning at 9:00 a.m., until adjournment, approximately 12:00 
noon, the full Board will reconvene in open session. Agenda items for 
this portion of the meeting include a presentation on the 
implementation of `Standards Based Education' in the Everett School 
District, Everett Washington, and reports from the Board's standing 
committees--Subject Area #1, Subject Area #2, Achievement Levels, 
Reporting and Dissemination, Design and Methodology, Nominations, and 
the Executive Committee.
    Summaries of the activities of the closed session and 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: October 25, 1995.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 95-26893 Filed 10-30-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M