Conduct - NBEO

Neither food nor drink is permitted at examinations desks and not to be consumed in the testing room, except water in authorized bottles. Candidates with special dietary/nutritional needs relating to a medical condition (e.g., diabetes) should make prior arrangements as outlined below under the section entitled Candidates with Disabilities. Smoking is not permitted in the test room at any time. Use of a mobile phone (including ringing) or other communication device, to make or receive calls, is not permitted once a candidate has entered an examination room.

Cheating, collaboration and other disruptive behavior during an examination are strictly prohibited. In order to promote independent candidate test taking, the National Board utilizes two different forms of the answer sheet. Candidates in adjacent seats record their responses on different answer forms. In addition, examination proctors have been instructed to adhere strictly to National Board policies to prevent collaborative behavior, and to detect and report it if it occurs. In order to attain optimal test administration conditions, proctors are directed to change, at their discretion, any candidate's seat in order to minimize or eliminate environmental disruptions or annoyances including but not limited to noise, a poor writing surface, ineffective lighting, and potential collaboration. Candidates should not interpret a requested seat change as harassment or an accusation of cheating.

The National Board examination and all National Board test items are the National Board’s proprietary and confidential property and are protected by copyright laws. Any reproduction or distribution of National Board test items is therefore not permitted and is subject to legal action.

The National Board reserves the right and discretion to determine the appropriate penalty or sanction for any cheating, violation of National Board proprietary rights or other improper behavior by an examination candidate, including without limitation any of the following: disqualification from taking or continuing to sit for the current examination and/or future examinations, and disqualification from reporting of examination scores. Such disqualification could be for any period of time the National Board determines is appropriate in the circumstances, even perhaps several years. Without limiting the foregoing possible sanctions, it is also specific National Board policy that in the event it is determined that any candidate cheated on any National Board examination Part(s), the National Board will permanently record and report the candidate’s score as “0F*” on such Part(s), meaning that the candidate’s score is zero, the candidate failed, and the state licensing board, school or other party to whom the score is reported may call the NBEO for more information (and in response will be told that the candidate was determined to have cheated).

All candidates are expected to read and agree to the following statement which is included on the Application Form. By submitting the application form it will be assumed that candidates agree to the following:

I understand that I can be disqualified from taking or continuing to sit for an examination, or from receiving examination scores, if the National Board, at its sole discretion, determines through any reasonable method, including but not limited to observation or statistical analysis, that I was engaged in any form of cheating or in collaborative, disruptive, or other improper behavior. I further understand that these sanctions may also apply if I have provided any inaccurate or misleading information in connection with my application, or at any time during the application or examination process. I also recognize that the proctor may change my seat in order to obtain optimal test conditions, and that such a change or any investigation of my behavior does not constitute harassment or an allegation of cheating or other improper behavior.

I understand that the National Board owns the copyright to this examination and that this examination is the National Board’s confidential and proprietary property. I agree not to engage in any reproduction or distribution of the examination in whole or in part. I also agree that I will not accept, receive or obtain any test items in whole or in part from any source prior to administration of the examination or engage in any unauthorized or improper actions in connection with the examination materials and/or content. I recognize that violation of the National Board’s proprietary rights may lead to legal action against me, and may result in my being prohibited from taking further examinations or from receiving examination scores.

I acknowledge that the National Board reserves the right and discretion to determine the appropriate penalty or sanction for any cheating, violation of National Board proprietary rights or other improper behavior by an examination candidate, including without limitation any of the following: disqualification from taking or continuing to sit for the current examination and/or future examinations, and disqualification from reporting of my examination scores. Such disqualification could be for any period of time the National Board determines is appropriate in the circumstances, even perhaps several years. I further acknowledge that without limiting the foregoing possible sanctions, it is also specific National Board policy that in the event it is determined that I cheated on any National Board examination Part(s), the National Board will permanently record and report my score as “0F*” on such Part(s), meaning that my score is zero, I failed, and the recipient of the score report (e.g. a school or state licensing board) may call the NBEO for more information (and in response will be told that I was determined to have cheated). I acknowledge that the effect of the above sanctions could be to delay or prevent me from receiving a license to practice optometry.

I also recognize that the National Board does not make any decisions regarding licensure, and I hereby waive and release any claims against the National Board with respect to licensure decisions and I agree to indemnify and hold harmless the National Board with respect to any such matter.

The National Board reserves the right to delete from scoring any test item which is determined by statistical analysis, or other means, to have been exposed before the administration of the test. The National Board also reserves the right to cancel a test administration if it has been determined that the security of the examination was violated prior to its administration.