CHARLOTTE, N.C.—A glitch in the National Board of Examiners in Optometry’s (NBEO) scoring system caused students to get erroneous Part II test results on Friday, January 24, according to a statement issued by the board. Corrected scores were sent out a few hours later, but, in some cases the new score was significantly lower, causing an uproar on social media from confused test takers, as reported by Vision Monday's sister publication, Women In Optometry. The NBEO statement on Monday acknowledged that the scores from the NBEO Part II exams that were released on Friday, January 24, at 3:00 p.m., were incorrect and when the error was “quickly identified,” around 5:00 p.m., the correct scores were released.

The statement goes on to say, "We sincerely regret the confusion and frustration caused by this reporting error. All of us at NBEO recognize the effort, time, and passion candidates commit to when preparing for this exam. We understand this error is particularly frustrating for those candidates who were incorrectly told they received a passing grade. For that reason, NBEO will be reaching out directly to the limited number of these non-passing candidates to provide a retake opportunity at no charge, along with free access to the NBEO Practice Items Databank through the next Part II PAM/TMOD administration.

"Just as importantly, NBEO is committed to making sure this never happens again. Even before this incident occurred, we were already undertaking considerable upgrades to our technological infrastructure, in which we have already invested significant time, energy and resources. As part of these plans, NBEO is working to completely transition to a more advanced infrastructure by the end of 2026. In addition, we are asking our external partners in exam development and information technology to assess our policy protocols to ensure greater redundancy and reliability in the score reporting process. We will continue to communicate updates in each of these areas as they occur,” the NBEO statement said.

On Reddit, a user called PlaceTechnical6669 posting on the r/OptometrySchool board said, “Mine went from 75 to 70 on TMOD. I don’t understand how can I go from a pass to a fail?” Rare-Dance1268 said, “My overall score went down, my 68 points and TMOD went down by 5.” A number of people also reported drastic fluctuations in scores that did not change the overall outcome of whether they passed or failed, but caused them to question the accuracy of the system.

The American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) released the following statement:
 
“The AOSA is deeply concerned about the recent release of NBEO Part II scores. The changing of scores caused significant distress to students, especially for those who believed they had passed and then learned that they had failed. This incident highlights troubling issues of clarity and transparency in NBEO’s scoring process, undermining trust in its mission to protect the public by ensuring competency in optometry. The public relies on NBEO to uphold the highest standards of professionalism to safeguard the care they receive, and candidates deserve accurate, reliable results that reflect their commitment to the profession. The AOSA calls on NBEO to explain the error, outline corrective measures and implement safeguards to prevent future occurrences. Transparency is essential to rebuild trust with candidates, the optometric community and the public.”

The American Optometric Association (AOA), California Optometric Association (COA) and The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) also released statements that detailed their concerns, on behalf of test takers, about the increase in the fees associated with the Part II along with their request that students be allowed to retake the exams at no cost. Additionally, they stressed the importance of the NBEO taking steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

“The AOA Board of Trustees calls on NBEO to provide an immediate and complete explanation of all current instances of score changing and score withholding and firmly commit to the standards of professionalism and integrity their mission requires. The AOA has long urged NBEO, and its stakeholder organizations ARBO and ASCO, to focus on increased transparency and accountability in all matters involving our student members.” The AOA continued, “The very serious concerns being raised over the last few hours are an immediate opportunity for the NBEO leadership and staff to take the caring and responsible action needed to give meaning to the many assurances they’ve offered to the AOA and the AOSA.”