[Federal Register: October 23, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 205)]
[Notices]               
[Page 60651-60652]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23oc03-35]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 
National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of open meeting and partially 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 November 3, 2003. 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: November 13-November 15, 2003.

Times:

November 13

Committee Meetings
    Assessment Development Committee: Closed Session--12:30 p.m. to 3 
p.m.;
    Executive Committee: Open Session--4 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Closed Session 
5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

November 14

    Full Board: Open Session--8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Committee Meetings
    Assessment Development Committee: Open Session--10 a.m. to 12 p.m.;
    Committee on Standards, Design and Methodology: Open Session--10 
a.m. to 12 p.m.;
    Reporting and Dissemination Committee: Open Session--10 a.m. to 12 
p.m.;
    Full Board: Closed Session--12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Open Session--
1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

November 15

    Nominations Committee: Open Session--7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
    Full Board: Open Session--9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
    Location: Westin Embassy Row, 2100 Massachusetts Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Munira Mwalimu, Operations Officer, 
National Assessment Governing 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.
    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.
    On November 13, the Assessment Development Committee will meet in 
closed session from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. to review secure test items 
for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2005 Math 
Pilot Test. The meeting must be conducted in closed session as 
disclosure of proposed test items from the 2005 NAEP Math Pilot Test 
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.
    The Executive Committee will meet in open session on November 13 
from 4 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 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 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 November 14, the full Board will meet in open session from 8:30 
a.m. to 10 a.m. The Board will approve the agenda, introduce new Board 
members, hear the Executive Director's report, and receive an update on 
the work of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) from 
the Associate Commissioner of NCES, Val Plisko.
    From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on November 14, 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.
    The full Board will meet in closed session on November 14, 2003 
from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. to receive to receive independent 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. 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.
    The full Board will meet in open session on November 14 to receive 
an update on the 2009 NAEP Reading Framework Project at 1:30 p.m. 
followed by an update on the NAEP 12th Grade Commission by former vice 
Board Chair Michael Nettles from 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. This 
presentation will be followed by a briefing on the Grade 12 Mathematics 
achievement Levels contract from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Board members will 
receive Ethics Training from staff of the Office of General Counsel 
from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., after

[[Page 60652]]

which the November 14 session of the Board meeting will adjourn.
    On November 15, the Nominations Committee will meet in open session 
from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Thereafter, the full Board will meet in 
open session from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Board will discuss NAEP reports 
from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Board actions on policies and Committee reports 
are scheduled to take place between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., when the 
November 15, 2003 session of the Board meeting will adjourn.
    A final agenda of the November 13-15, 2003 Board meeting can be 
accessed after November 3, 2003 at http://www.nagb.org. 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: October 20, 2003.
Charles E. Smith,
Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
[FR Doc. 03-26718 Filed 10-22-03; 8:45 am]

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