Brett P. Foley, Ph.D. of Lincoln, Nebraska, is the Director of Psychometrics and Research at the National Board of Examiners in Optometry. He has served on the Board as its public member since 2018. Foley is the third public member to serve on the Board since the position was created in 1998. Foley is originally from Rapid City, South Dakota.
Foley holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. He received his master’s degree in biometry and a doctorate in psychological studies in education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 2001, Foley received the Outstanding Graduate in Information Systems Award presented by Chadron State College.
Foley’s occupation is a psychometrician, a professional who practices the science of educational and psychological measurement. Foley supports the development of national tests by applying mathematics, statistics, and psychology. He has worked with many organizations on the technical and policy aspects of licensure and certification exams.
Before working in his current employment and serving as a Board Member, Foley worked at Alpine Testing Solutions and for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln under several departments, including the Buros Center for Testing, the Departments of Educational Psychology and Biometry, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools, and the Nebraska Education and Research.
Foley regularly serves on committees of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). He has served as a peer-reviewer for many professional assessment journals and has published articles and book chapters about test development. His research interests include standard setting, policy considerations in testing, and using visual displays to inform the test development process.
“As a psychometrician, I’ve worked with many organizations on the technical and policy aspects of licensure and certification exams,” Foley said. “I look forward to sharing information about testing and assessment processes with the Board.”