[Federal Register: March 22, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 57)] [Notices] [Page 11815-11816] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Assessment Governing Board; Public Forum AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board, Education. ACTION: Notice of information collection activity. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) has submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget for approval of the collection abstracted below. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument and explanatory materials. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 22, 1996. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CONTACT: Susan Cooper Loomis, NAEP ALS Project Director, American College Testing, 2201 N. Dodge Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52243. Copies of the complete ICR and accompanying appendices may be obtained from the NAEP ALS Project Director at the address above. [[Page 11816]] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: NAEP Consumer Survey Research Study of the Achievement Levels for the U.S. History NAEP and the Geography NAEP. Abstract: The purpose of this information collection activity is to gather information for NAGB regarding the achievement levels set for the 1994 NAEP in U.S. History and in Geography. In particular, Congress has deemed that the achievement levels must be shown to be reasonable, valid, and informative to the public. This survey is designed to collect responses from individuals who are likely to have some interest in the ALS process (having been invited in 1994 to nominate individuals to serve as panelists for the ALS process) and individuals who are likely to have some interest in the subjects for which achievement levels have been developed. A report has been developed in the form of a newspaper (The NAEP Reporter) to provide respondents information about the NAEP, and about the achievement levels. The ``newspaper'' report was developed as a means of providing information in a format that would be interesting to the respondent. Unlike actual newspaper articles that have reported on the recently-released results of the NAEP, this account does not judge the outcomes regarding student performances. That is, this report is objective and neither applauds nor decries the performance of students on the NAEP. A brief questionnaire elicits responses to questions regarding the usefulness and informativeness of the achievement levels for reporting NAEP results. The survey is printed on a postage-paid, self-mailer card. No third party notification or public disclosure burden is associated with this collection. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on December 20, 1995. Burden Statement: The estimated total respondent burden is 924 hours, and the average burden per respondent is .44 hours. This is a one-time survey. Individuals included in the survey will not be contacted for follow-up comments. This burden estimate includes .33 hours to read the stimulus piece (newspaper) and .11 hours to read and respond to the questionnaire. No small businesses nor other small entities are included in the survey. Respondents/Affected Entities: Parties affected by this information collection are persons included in a broadly representative sample including persons identified as nominators of achievement levels- setting (ALS) panelists for pilot studies and ALS, as well as samples of subscribers to The Smithsonian magazine (for U.S. History) and The National Geographic for geography. Estimated Number of Respondents: 2100 in this collection. Estimated Total Annual Burden of Respondents: 924 hours for this collection. Frequency of Collection: One time only. Send comments regarding the burden estimate, or any other aspect of the information collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the following address. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Wendy Taylor, Desk Officer for NAGB, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503. Dated: March 18, 1996. Roy Truby, Executive Director. [FR Doc. 96-6830 Filed 3-21-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-M