NDAA for 2007, Section 546

Attachment 1. National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2007, Section 546

Sec. 546. Test of utility of test preparation guides and education programs in enhancing recruit candidate performance on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT).

(a) REQUIREMENT FOR TEST.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a test of the utility of commercially available test preparation guides and education programs designed to assist recruit candidates achieve scores on military recruit qualification testing that better reflect the full potential of those recruit candidates in terms of aptitude and mental category. The test shall be conducted through the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

(b) ASSESSMENT OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE GUIDES AND PROGRAMS.--The test shall assess commercially available test preparation guides and education programs designed to enhance test performance. The test preparation guides assessed shall test both written formats and self-paced computer-assisted programs. Education programs assessed may test both self-study textbook and computer-assisted courses and instructor-led courses.

(c) OBJECTIVES.--The objectives of the test are to determine the following:

(1) The degree to which test preparation assistance degrades test reliability and accuracy.

(2) The degree to which test preparation assistance allows more accurate testing of skill aptitudes and mental capability.

(3) The degree to which test preparation assistance allows individuals to achieve higher scores without sacrificing reliability and accuracy.

(4) What role is recommended for test preparation assistance in military recruiting?

(d) CONTROL GROUP.--As part of the test, the Secretary shall identify a population of recruit candidates who will not receive test preparation assistance and will serve as a control group for the test. Data from recruit candidates participating in the test and data from recruit candidates in the control group shall be compared in terms of both (1) test performance, and (2) subsequent duty performance in training and unit settings following entry on active duty.

(e) NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS.--The Secretary shall provide test preparation assistance to a minimum of 2,000 recruit candidates and shall identify an equal number to be established as the control group population.

(f) DURATION OF TEST.--The Secretary shall begin the test not later than nine months after the date of the enactment of this Act. The test shall identify participants over a one-year period from the start of the test and shall assess duty performance for each participant for 18 months following entry on active duty. The last participant shall be identified, but other participants may not be identified.

(g) REPORT ON FINDINGS.--Not later than six months after completion of the duty performance assessment of the last identified participant in the test, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report providing the findings of the Secretary with respect to each of the objectives specified in subsection (c) and the Secretary's recommendations.