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Hearings Set for SD, ELL Testing in NAEP

Governing Board to Hold Hearings on NAEP Testing for Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners

Forums will be Oct. 19 in Los Angeles, and Nov. 9 in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON (October 01, 2009)—The National Assessment Governing Board will hold public hearings in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. to obtain comment on expert panel recommendations on uniform national rules for testing of students with disabilities (SD) and English language learners (ELL) on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

The hearing in Los Angeles will be on Monday, October 19, at the Board meeting room (first floor) of the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters, at 333 South Beaudry Ave., from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (PDT). The hearing in Washington, D.C., will be on Monday, Nov. 9, at the Phoenix Park Hotel, 520 North Capitol St., NW, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EST).

The SD and ELL recommendations grew out of a concern that differences in accommodation and exclusion rates among the states and districts participating in NAEP, commonly known as the Nation's Report Card, may jeopardize the fairness and validity of state comparisons and other NAEP data and trends.

The Governing Board has established an Ad Hoc Committee of Board members to conduct a comprehensive examination of NAEP testing and reporting of these two student groups. The Committee appointed two technical advisory panels to recommend uniform national rules for NAEP testing of SD and ELL students to better assure that NAEP samples are fully representative and produce comparable results. These panels reported to the Board at its quarterly meeting in August, and now the Board plans to consult widely before deciding whether or not to adopt the expert panel recommendations.

To register to present oral testimony for up to 10 minutes, please call Tessa Regis, of the Governing Board staff, at 202-357-7500 or send an email to tessa.regis@ed.gov by 4:00 p.m. (EST) on Oct. 16 for Los Angeles and Nov. 6 for Washington, DC. The Board will make an effort to hear testimony from all persons, but speakers are encouraged to bring written statements to the hearings.

Written testimony should be sent by mail, fax or e-mail for receipt in the Board office by Nov. 10. The address is 800 N. Capitol St. NW, Suite 825, Washington, DC 20002. The fax is (202) 357-6945. Further information on the policy options and Governing Board deliberations may be obtained from Lawrence Feinberg at 202-357-6942 or larry.feinberg@ed.gov.

The full reports and recommendations of the technical advisory panels are available for ELL testing and SD testing. There are also PowerPoint summaries available for ELL testing and SD testing.

The official hearing notices are also available for Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

NAEP is a representative-sample assessment designed to produce valid, comparable data on the academic achievement of large groups of students. It is prohibited by law from providing results for individual children or schools.

Stephaan Harris

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the only nationally representative, continuing evaluation of the condition of education in the United States. It has served as a national yardstick of student achievement since 1969. Through the Nation's Report Card, NAEP informs the public about what American students know and can do in various subject areas and compares achievement between states, large urban districts, and various student demographic groups.
The National Assessment Governing Board is an independent, bipartisan board whose members include governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives and members of the general public. Congress created the 26-member Governing Board in 1988 to oversee and set policy for NAEP.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a congressionally authorized project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The National Center for Education Statistics, within the Institute of Education Sciences, administers NAEP. The Commissioner of Education Statistics is responsible by law for carrying out the NAEP project.