98-31913. National Assessment Governing Board; Public Forum  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 230 (Tuesday, December 1, 1998)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 66135-66136]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-31913]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
    
    
    National Assessment Governing Board; Public Forum
    
    AGENCY: National Assessment Governing Board; Education.
    
    ACTION: Notice of information collection activity.
    
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    SUMMARY: This notice announces that the National Assessment Governing 
    Board (NAGB) will submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the 
    Office of Management and Budget for approval.
        The ICR is: Similarities Classification Validation Research Study 
    of the Achievement Levels for the Writing National Assessment of 
    Educational Progress (NAEP) and the Civics National Assessment of 
    Educational Progress.
    
    DATES: Public comments must be submitted on or before February 1, 1999.
    
    ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted by February 1, 1999. 
    Mail to Patricia Hanick, NAEP ALS Project Manager, ACT, Inc., 2255 
    North Dubuque Road, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243-0168. Copies of 
    the complete ICR and accompanying appendices may be obtained from the 
    NAEP ALS Project Manager at the address above.
        Comments may also be submitted electronically by sending electronic 
    mail (e-mail) to [email protected] Electronic comments must be identified 
    by the title of the ICR. No confidential business information should be 
    submitted through e-mail.
        Information submitted as a comment concerning this document may be 
    claimed confidential by marketing any part or all of that information 
    as confidential business information (CBI). Information so market will 
    not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 
    CFR part 2. A copy of the comment that does not contain CBI must be 
    submitted for inclusion in the public record. Information not market 
    confidential may be disclosed publicly by NAGB without prior notice.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Patricia Hanick, NAEP ALS Project Manager, ACT, Inc., 2255 North 
    Dubuque Road, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243-0168, Telephone: (319) 
    337-1452 or (800) 525-6930, e-mail: [email protected]
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Electronic copies of this ICR can be 
    obtained from the contact person listed above.
    
    I. Information Collection Request
    
        NAGB is seeking comments on the following Information Collection 
    Request (ICR).
        Title: Similarities Classification Validation Research Study of the 
    Achievement Levels for the Writing NAEP and the Civics NAEP.
        Affected Entities: Parties affected by this information collection 
    are civics and writing teachers who served as grade 8 achievement 
    levels-setting (ALS) panelists for pilot studies and ALS meetings. 
    Additional parties include the eighth grade students of these teachers 
    as well as their school administrators.
        Abstract: The purpose of this information collection activity is to 
    gather information for NAGB relating to the issue of the validity of 
    the achievement levels and the achievement levels-setting process for 
    the 1998 NAEP in Writing and in Civics. In particular, Congress has 
    denied that the achievement levels must be shown to be reasonable, 
    valid, and informative to the public. The research design class for 
    administration of an extended NAEP. The students to be assessed are 
    currently enrolled in courses taught by
    
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    teachers who participate in setting the achievement levels. The focus 
    of the study is to assess the correspondence between the teachers' 
    estimates of the performance of their students on this assessment and 
    the empirical performance of the student on the assessment. The 
    teachers who will be asked to participate in this study are familiar 
    with the content of the assessment framework and with the pool of items 
    developed for the 1998 assessment. They also are familiar with the 
    meaning of the achievement levels describing what students should know 
    and be able to do and the abilities of the students who will be 
    assessed. Teachers will not know how their individual students 
    performed on the assessment. If the achievement levels are 
    ``reasonable, valid, and informative,'' there should be relatively high 
    correspondence between the teachers' estimates of performance and the 
    actual performance of students with respect to the achievement levels.
        No third party notification or public disclosure burden is 
    associated with this collection.
        Burden Statement: The estimated maximum total respondent burden is 
    6957 hours, and the average burden per student is 1.92 hours. This is a 
    one-time data collection effort. Neither small businesses nor other 
    small entities are included in the survey.
    
    II. Request for Comments
    
        NAGB solicits comments to:
        (i) Evaluate whether the proposed data collection is an appropriate 
    method to determine whether the achievement levels are valid.
        (ii) Enhance the accuracy, quality, and utility of the information 
    to be collected.
        Records are kept of all public comments and are available for 
    public inspection at the U.S. Department of Education, National 
    Assessment Governing Board, Suite 825, 800 North Capitol Street, N.W., 
    Washington, D.C. from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
    
        Dated: November 25, 1998.
    Roy Truby,
    Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board.
    [FR Doc. 98-31913 Filed 11-30-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4000-01-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
12/01/1998
Department:
Education Department
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice of information collection activity.
Document Number:
98-31913
Dates:
Public comments must be submitted on or before February 1, 1999.
Pages:
66135-66136 (2 pages)
PDF File:
98-31913.pdf