[Federal Register: May 14, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 93)] [Notices] [Page 26494-26495] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr14my97-78] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Center on Education Statistics (NCES); Meeting AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of partially closed meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Advisory Council on Education Statistics (ACES). 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 15-16, 1997. TIMES: May 15, 1997--Full Council, 9:00 a.m.-10:15 a.m., (open); Management Committee, 10:15 a.m.-5:00 p.m., (open); Statistics Committee, 10:15 a.m.-5:00 p.m., (closed from 1:15 p.m.-5:00 p.m.); Strategy/Policy Committee, 10:15 a.m.-5:00 p.m., (closed from 10:15 a.m.-11:15 a.m.). May 16, 1997--Full Council, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (open); Statistics Committee, Strategy/Policy Committee, and Management Committee, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (open). LOCATION: The Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle, NW., Washington DC 20005. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Marenus, National Center for Education Statistics, 555 New Jersey Ave., NW., Room 400j, Washington, DC 20208-5530. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Advisory Council on Education Statistics (ACES) is established under Section 406(c)(1) of the Education Amendments of 1974, Pub. L. 93-380. The Council is established to review general policies for the operation of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the Office of Educational Research and Improvement and is responsible for advising on standards to insure that statistics and analyses disseminated by NCES are of high quality and are not subject to political influence. In addition, ACES is required to advise the Commissioner of NCES and the National Assessment Governing Board on technical and statistical matters related to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The meeting of the Council is open to the public. The proposed agenda includes the following: * A status report from the NCES Commissioner on major Center initiatives; * New member swearing-in; * The presentation of Committee reports; * A discussion on the development of an NCES periodical; and * A discussion of a synthesis of ``customer'' evaluations on NCES activities. Individual meetings of the three ACES committees will focus on specific topics: * The agenda for the Management Committee includes a discussion of the results from the 1996 Customer Service Survey, review of NCES' performance indicators, and plans for future targeted customer surveys. [[Page 26495]] * The agenda for the Statistics Committee includes a discussion of emerging statistical issues in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) such as those reflected in the National Academy of Education's Capstone Report, and the upcoming NAEP procurement. Further, the Statistics Committee will discuss issues surrounding the use of background variables; a preliminary report which links NAEP and data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study; the results of the 1996 NAEP Science Assessment; and alternative strategies for setting achievement levels. Because part of the agenda involves reporting on the embargoed 1996 NAEP science achievement levels, ACES is precluded from discussing this information in a public meeting. The premature release of this information would result in the disclosure of information that would be likely to significantly frustrate implementation of the agency's proposed action. Such matters are protected by exemption (9)(B) of Section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C. * The agenda for the Strategy/Policy Committee includes a discussion of: major NCES budget issues; a new NCES budgeting and planning tool; NCES's longitudinal surveys; and plans for a redesign of the Schools and Staffing Survey. Because the discussion on budget issues will include information on planned procurements and cost estimates, the public disclosure of this information would be likely to significantly frustrate the implementation of planned 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. Due to complexities in setting the agenda for this meeting, the public is being given less than 15 days notice. A summary of the activities and related matters, which are informative to the public and consistent with the policy of 5 U.S.C. 552b, will be available to the public within 14 days after the meetings. Records are kept of all Council proceedings and are available for public inspection at the Office of the Executive Director, Advisory Council on Education Statistics, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Room 400J, Washington, DC 20208-7575. Dated: May 7, 1997. Ramon C. Cortines, Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement. [FR Doc. 97-12528 Filed 5-13-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-M