115 STAT. 1906 PUBLIC LAW 107-110-JAN. 8, 2002 Deadline. "(B) develop appropriate student achievement levels as provided in section 411(e); "(C) develop assessment objectives consistent with the requirements of this section and test specifications that produce an assessment that is valid and reliable, and are based on relevant widely accepted professional standards; "(D) develop a process for review of the assessment which includes the active participation of teachers, curriculum specialists, local school administrators, parents, and concerned members of the public; "(E) design the methodology of the assessment to ensure that assessment items are valid and reliable, in consultation with appropriate technical experts in measurement and assessment, content and subject matter, sampling, and other technical experts who engage in large scale surveys, including the Advisory Council established under section 407; "(F) consistent with section 411, measure student academic achievement in grades 4, 8, and 12 in the authorized academic subjects; "(G) develop guidelines for reporting and disseminating results; "(H) develop standards and procedures for regional and national comparisons; and "(I) take appropriate actions needed to improve the form, content, use, and reporting of results of any assessment authorized by section 411 consistent with the provisions of this section and section 411. "(2) DELEGATION.— The Board may delegate any of the Board's procedural and administrative functions to its staff. " (3) ALL COGNITIVE AND NONCOGNITIVE ASSESSMENT ITEMS.—The Board shall have final authority on the appropriateness of all assessment items. "(4) PROHIBITION AGAINST BL\S. —The Board shall take steps to ensure that all items selected for use in the National Assessment are free from racial, cultural, gender, or regional bias and are secular, neutral, and non-ideological. "(5) TECHNICAL.—In carrying out the duties required by paragraph (1), the Board may seek technical advice, as appropriate, from the Commissioner and the Advisory Council on Education Statistics and other experts. "(6) REPORT.— Not later than 90 days after an evaluation of the student achievement levels under section 411(e), the Board shall make a report to the Secretary, the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate describing the steps the Board is taking to respond to each of the recommendations contained in such evaluation. " (f) PERSONNEL. — "(1) IN GENERAL.—In the exercise of its responsibilities, the Board shall be independent of the Secretary and the other offices and officers of the Department, "(2) STAFF. — "(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may appoint, at the request of the Board, such staff as will enable the Board to carry out its responsibilities.
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