[Federal Register: February 23, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 36)]
[Notices]
[Page 8951-8952]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23fe00-39]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting
AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.
ACTION: Notice of Partially Closed and Closed Meetings.
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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. Individuals who will need
accommodations for a disability in order to attend the meeting (i.e.
interpreting services, assistive listening devices, materials in
alternative format) should notify Mary Ann Wilmer at 202-357-6938 or e-
mail mary__ann__wilmer@ed.gov by no later than February 23, 2000. We
will attempt to meet requests after this date, but cannot guarantee
availability of the requested accommodation. The meeting site is
accessible to individuals with disabilities.
DATE: March 2-4, 2000.
TIME: March 2--Subject Area Committee #1, 1:30-2:30 p.m., (open),
2:30-3:00 p.m. (closed); Achievement Levels Committee, 1:30-3:00 p.m.;
Joint Meeting, Subject Area Committee #1 and Achievement Levels
Committee, 3:00-3:30 p.m.; March 3--Executive Committee, 7:00-7:30
a.m., (open), 7:30-8:00 a.m., (closed); Full Board, 8:15-9:45 a.m.,
(open); Subject Area Committee #2, 9:45-11:00 a.m., (closed); Reporting
and Dissemination Committee, 9:45-11:00 a.m. (open); Design and
Methodology Committee, 9:45-11:00 a.m., (open); Full Board 11:15 a.m.-
12:00 noon, (open), 12:00-1:15 p.m., (closed); and 1:15-4:00 p.m.,
(open).
March 4--Nominations Committee, 7:30-8:30 a.m., (open); Full Board,
8:30 a.m.--adjournment, approximately, 12:00 noon, (open).
LOCATION: Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, 225 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu,
Hawaii.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer,
National Assessment Governing Board, Suite 825, 800 North Capitol
Street, NW, 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 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. Under P.L. 105-78, the national
Assessment Governing Board is also granted exclusive authority over
developing the Voluntary National Tests pursuant to contact number
RJ9753001.
On Thursday, March 2, there will be meeting of two committees of
the Governing Board. Subject Area Committee #1 will meet in partially
closed session. From 1:30-3:30 p.m. the Committee will meet in open
session to discuss the NAEP Foreign Language framework development
project. The Committee will meet in closed session from 2:30-3:00 p.m.
to review proposed test items for the Voluntary National Test (VNT) in
4th grade reading. The discussion will reference specific items for the
assessment, the disclosure of which might significantly frustrate
implementation of the VNT. 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 553b(c) of
Title 5 U.S.C.
The Achievement Levels Committee will meet in open session from
1:30-3:00 p.m. The agenda items for this meeting include discussion of
a background paper on standard setting on the Voluntary National Tests;
a briefing on the study of the alignment of the achievement level for
NAEP with the VNT; and a briefing on the preliminary report on the
special study of achievement levels.
Subject Area Committee #1 and the Achievement Levels Committee will
meet in joint session from 3:00-3:30 p.m. to discuss the proposed
achievement levels descriptions for grade 12 students' performance in
foreign language.
On March 3, the Executive Committee will meet in partially closed
session. In open session, 7:00-7:20 a.m., the Committee will hear an
update on Voluntary National Test activities--the contract, and use of
incentives in research studies; NAEP/NAGB reauthorization, incentives
for participation in NAEP; and the NCES initiative to coordinate
research. The Committee will meet in closed session from 7:30-8:00 a.m.
to hear an update on the development of cost estimates for NAEP (RFPs)
and other contract initiatives. This portion of the meeting must be
conducted in closed session because public disclosure of this
information would likely have an
[[Page 8952]]
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.
The full Board will convene in open session beginning at 8:15 a.m.
In addition to the approval of the agenda and the swearing-in of a new
board member, this session includes a report from the Executive
Director, and an update on the NAEP project.
Subject Area Committee #2 will meet in closed session from 9:45-
11:00 a.m. From 9:45-10:30 a.m., the Committee will discuss the draft
RFP for the NAEP 2004 math assessment. This portion of the meeting must
be conducted in closed session because 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.
In closed session, from 10:30-11:00 a.m., Subject Area Committee #2
will discuss proposed test items for the Voluntary National Test (VNT)
in 8th grade mathematics. The discussion will reference specific items
for the assessment, the disclosure of which might significantly
frustrate implementation of the VNT. 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 552b(c) of
Title 5 U.S.C.
There will be open meetings of the Reporting and Dissemination
Committee and the Design and Methodology Committee from 9:45-11:00 a.m.
Agenda items for the Reporting and Dissemination Committee include
review of plans for the release of NEAP reports; reporting issues for
Math 2000; and an update on the development of score reporting
materials for the Voluntary National Tests. The Design and Methodology
Committee will hear a briefing on plans for replenishing Voluntary
National Test items and test forms; and a briefing on analysis options
on minimizing non-comparability of trends in State NAEP for science and
math.
The full Board will reconvene in partially closed session from
11:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. In open session, 11:15 a.m.-12:00 noon, the
Board will hear an update on the achievement level reporting process.
The Board will then meet in closed session from 12:00-1:15 p.m. to hear
a briefing on the NAEP Civics Trend Report 1988-1998. The report will
include references to specific items from the assessments that have not
been released to the public. This portion of the meeting must be closed
because reference may be made to data that 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.
From 1:15-4:00 p.m. the board will meet in open session. Agenda
items for this portion of the meeting include an update and discussion
on NAEP/NAGB and VNT reauthorization issues; discussion of issues
concerning schools participation in NAEP; an update on the NAEP Foreign
Language Framework; and review of the contract with AIR for the
Voluntary National Tests.
On Saturday, March 4 the Nominations Committee will meet in open
session from 7:30-8:30 a.m. The Committee will discuss and approve the
plan for review, rating, and compiling the list of recommended nominees
to fill potential Board vacancies; consider the process for soliciting
nominations for additional nominees.
Also, on March 4, the full Board will meet in open session from
8:30 a.m. until adjournment, approximately 12:00 noon. The Board will
hear a presentation on parents and assessment literacy, and continue
discussion on issues concerning schools participation in NAEP. This
meeting of the National Assessment Governing Board will conclude with
the presentation of committee reports and Board actions.
A summary of the activities of the closed, partially closed
sessions, and other related matters which are informative to the public
and consistent with the policy of the 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, NW, Washington, D.C., from
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Roy Truby,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 00-4189 Filed 2-22-00; 8:45 am]
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