YOUR VOICE NEEDED
ON INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
& STUDENTS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY,
& HIGH STAKES USE
FOR THE VOLUNTARY NATIONAL TESTS

In October and early November, the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) will hear testimony about the inclusion of students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency in the Voluntary National Tests. Oral testimony is welcome in Washington D.C., Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Austin, and Los Angeles. Written testimony may be submitted in addition to, or in lieu of oral testimony. The schedule and contact information is listed on the next page.

The National Academy of Sciences has conducted a study on the appropriate use of educational tests. Congress requested that NAGB conduct public hearings on the study's recommendations. NAGB has indicated that it will "use information from the public hearings in developing policy for the voluntary national tests about inclusion and accommodations for students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency."

You will find the letter requesting testimony, the schedule of testimony, and a link to the federal register notice on NAGB's website at http://www.nagb.org.

A copy of the NAS prepublication report on High Stakes can be viewed at http://www.nap.edu/ . Look for: "High Stakes: Testing for Tracking, Promotion, and Graduation." Also, you should be able to link to the study through the NAGB site. Most of the hearings will be held prior to the final publication of the document, and we are told that there are only a small number of hard copies of the prepublication document available.

The Center for Law and Education plans to develop testimony over the next few weeks. We also plan to develop a substantive alert shortly, and will make draft testimony available as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact Paul Weckstein or Christine Stoneman for more information, and to periodically check our website http://www.cleweb.org for updates.

FROM NAGB POSTING

Washington, DC
Date: October 14, 1998 Register by September 30
The Charles Sumner School, The Great Hall
1201 17th Street NW

Atlanta, GA,
Date: October 20, 1998, Register by October 6
The Carter Presidential Center, Cyprus Room
One Copenhill, 453 Freedom Parkway

New York, NY
Date: October 23, 1998 Register by October 9
New York University
Main Building, Room 401
31 Washington Place

Chicago, IL
Date: October 26, 1998 Register by October 12
Curie High School Auditorium
4959 South Archer Ave

Austin, TX
Date: October 28, 1998 Register by October 14
William B. Travis Building
State Board of Education Room, #1-104
1701 North Congress Ave

Los Angeles, CA
Date: November 2, 1998 Register by October 19
Los Angeles Unified School District, Board Room (H-160)
450 North Grand Avenue

9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Testimony on students with limited English proficiency
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Testimony on students with disabilities

Please register in advance by the date indicated above to present oral testimony. Contact Katherine Fraser at the National Association of State Boards of Education at 1-800-368-5023, Ext. 8572. People who are registered to testify will receive additional information, including issues to consider related to the NAS report on "High Stakes," which contains recommendations about inclusion and accommodations in testing.

Written Testimony is invited and welcomed. MAIL YOUR STATEMENT BY 11/15/98 To:
Mark D. Musick, Chairman (Attn: Ray Fields)
National Assessment Governing Board
800 N. Capitol Street, N.W. Suite 825
Washington, D.C. 20002-4233