[Federal Register: July 16, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 136)]
[Notices]
[Page 42704-42705]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16jy04-53]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting
AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.
ACTION: Notice of open meeting and closed meetings.
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SUMMARY: The 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 members of the
general public of their opportunity to attend. Individuals who will
need special accommodations in order to attend the meeting (i.e.;
interpreting services, assistive listening devices, materials in
alternative format) should notify Munira Mwalimu at 202-357-6938 or at
Munira.Mwalimu@ed.gov no later than July 30, 2004. 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.
DATES: August 5-August 7, 2004.
Times:
August 5: Committee Meetings: Assessment Development Committee:
closed session--9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP 12th
Grade Participation: open session--2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Executive
Committee: open session--4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; closed session--5 p.m. to
6 p.m.
August 6: Full Board: open session--8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Committee
Meetings: Assessment Development Committee: open session--10 a.m. to 12
p.m.; Committee on Standards, Design, and Methodology; open sessison--
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Reporting and Dissemination Committee: open
session--10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
August 7: Full Board: open session--8:15 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: The St. Regis Hotel, 923 16th and K Streets, NW.,
Washington, DC 20006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Munira Mwalimu, Operations Officer,
National Assessment Government Board, 800 North Capitol Street, NW.,
Suite 825, 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, as amended.
[[Page 42705]]
The Board is established to formulate policy guidelines for the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The Board's
responsibilities include selecting subject areas to be assessed,
developing assessment objectives, developing appropriate student
achievement levels for each grade and subject tested, developing
guidelines for reporting and disseminating results, and developing
standards and procedures for interstate and national comparisons.
The Assessment Development Committee will meet in closed session on
August 5 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to review secure test items for the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2006 assessments in
U.S. History and Civics, and the NAEP 2007 Reading Assessment. The
meeting must be conducted in closed session as disclosure of proposed
test items from the NAEP assessments would significantly impede
implementation of the NAEP program, and is therefore protected by
exemption 9(B) of section 552b(c) of title 5 U.S.C.
On August 5, the Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP 12th Grade Participation
and Motivation will meet in open session from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The
Execution Committee will meet in open session on August 5 from 4:30
p.m. to 5 p.m. The committee will then meet in closed session from 5
p.m. to 6 p.m. to discuss independent government cost estimates for
contracts related to the National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP). This part 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 and will provide an
advantage to potential bidders attending the meeting. The discussion of
this information would be likely to significantly impede 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 August 6, the full Board will meet in open session from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. The Board will approve the agenda; recognize departing Board
members; hear the Executive Director's report; receive an update on the
work of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) from the
Commissioner of NCES, Robert Lerner; and discuss NAEP inclusion and
accommodation issues.
From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on August 6, the Board's standing
committees-- the Assessment Development Committee; the Committee on
Standards, Design and Methodology; and the Reporting and Dissemination
Committee--will meet in open session.
From 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m., Board members will receive an ethics
briefing from staff of the Office of General Counsel. This will be
followed by Board discussion and action on the NAEP 2009 Reading
Framework from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Board will then receive a briefing
on models for describing ``readiness'' for postsecondary education from
3:15 p.m. to 5 p.m., after which the August 6 session of the Board
meeting will adjourn.
On August 7, the full Board will meet in open session from 8:15
a.m. to 12 p.m. At 8:15 a.m., the Board will receive a briefing on pre-
conference sessions that took place at the Large-Scale Assessment
Conference. From 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., the Board will discuss NAEP
Reporting Guidelines. This item will be followed by a presentation on
student ``readiness'' for postsecondary options from 9:15 a.m. to 9:45
a.m.
From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., the Board will discuss issues related to
12th Grade NAEP. Board actions on policies and Committee reports are
scheduled to take place between 11 a.m. and 11:45 a.m., Board members
will elect the Vice Chair from 11:45 to 12 noon, upon which the August
7, 2004, session of the Board meeting will adjourn.
Detailed minutes of the meeting, including summaries of the
activities of the closed sessions and related matters that 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 of 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, DC, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern standard
time.
Dated: July 13, 2004.
Charles E. Smith,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 04-16163 Filed 7-15-04; 8:45 am]
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