1. (a) Examination for a license to practice optometry in this state shall be conducted in the English language in writing and by such other means as the board shall determine adequate to ascertain the qualifications of the applicant. Each applicant shall be given due notice of the date and place of examination. The board shall administer the jurisprudence examination at least on a quarterly schedule.
2. (b) Prior to an examination, the executive director or a member of the board designated by the chair shall prepare a tentative schedule showing the time allotted to each examination.
3. (c) The examination shall be a written jurisprudence examination. The passing grade on the jurisprudence written test shall be 70. In addition, passing scores from the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) Examination will be required for licensure under §271.6 of this title (relating to National Board Examinations).
4. (d) Applicants shall not communicate any words or signs with another applicant while the examination is in progress without the permission of the presiding examiner, nor leave the examination room except when so permitted by the presiding examiner. Violations of this rule shall subject the offender to expulsion.
5. (e) The executive director or designee shall at all times be in the examination room while the examination is in progress and no persons except applicants, board members, employees of the board, or persons having the express permission of the board shall be permitted in the examination rooms.
6. (f) At the beginning of an examination each applicant shall select a number. Applicants shall use the number for purposes of identification throughout the examination, and no applicant name or any other identification mark other than the selected number shall be entered on any paper containing answers to the questions of an examination. Members of the board shall in every way endeavor to avoid identification of an applicant prior to the awarding of the general averages.
7. (g) Examination papers are the property of the board and shall not be returned to the applicant. All test papers must be retained in the board office to be preserved for a period of 30 days after final grading in order to allow an unsuccessful candidate the opportunity to request an analysis of such person's performance, which request must be made in writing within such 30-day period.

Source Note:The provisions of this §271.3 adopted to be effective August 11, 1983, 8 TexReg 2933; amended to be effective November 25, 1986, 11 TexReg 4624; amended to be effective January 1, 1992, 16 TexReg 7488; amended to be effective September 10, 1993, 18 TexReg 5744; amended to be effective August 2, 1998, 23 TexReg 7561.