NCBE Conducts Successful NextGen UBE Beta Test

Beta Test Administered Across Four Cities, Marking Major Milestone Ahead of July 2026 Launch

Media contact: communications@ncbex.org 

Fact sheet and image: https://www.ncbex.org/media-resources

MADISON, WISCONSIN, January 13, 2026—The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) today announced the successful completion of its Beta Test for the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination (NextGen UBE), a large-scale administration conducted January 8–10 in Boston, Dallas, New York City, and Miami. The Beta Test represents one of the final milestones in NCBE’s multiyear initiative to design, develop, and validate the NextGen UBE ahead of its official launch in July 2026.

The Beta Test administration worked well across the board, with excellent technical performance and positive feedback from both participants and jurisdiction volunteers. A total of 1,500 participants completed the test, providing a robust data set for psychometric analysis.

“What impressed me most about Beta was how well the full ecosystem functioned under real conditions for participants and for the jurisdictions that will ultimately administer this exam,” said Kara Smith, NCBE's Chief Product Officer. “Everything went exceptionally well, and feedback received during the Beta will directly influence continued refinements between now and launch. This collaborative approach is at the heart of how NextGen has been developed.”

Testing Experience

Early feedback from participants was encouraging, particularly on usability and alignment to practice. Tools to enable accessibility were integrated seamlessly into the testing experience for all participants, including features such as those that allow all candidates to adjust the text size and color scheme, as well as tools specifically for use with an approved accommodation, such as extended-time schedules and stop-the-clock breaks.

The Beta Test also demonstrated the exam’s built-in structural flexibility. Some participants began with multiple-choice questions, while others started with performance tasks—an intentional NextGen design feature that gives examinees more control in how they approach time management for the exam.

Technology Performance and Digital Resilience

Across the administration, the NextGen delivery platform performed extremely well. NCBE intentionally tested Wi-Fi interruption and observed the platform’s offline capability functioning as designed: participants were able to continue testing offline without losing work, and data uploaded successfully once connectivity was restored.

NCBE also reported strong performance of the broader NextGen ecosystem:

• NextGen Candidate Portal (within the NCBE Account): Functioned as expected and provided participants with confirmation that their data uploaded at the end of each section—supporting confidence as they moved through the exam.
• ITS Administrator Portal: Enabled room leads to launch, manage, and confirm completion of testing where needed, while also generating valuable user feedback for refinements ahead of launch.

Administrator Experience

Feedback from jurisdiction observers emphasized the smooth exam administration process, easy-to-use platform, and strong onsite collaboration. At each location, NCBE also hosted demonstrations of the portals for jurisdiction representatives and administrators to observe operational workflows and provide input on refinements and improvements. 

Next Steps

NCBE will release preliminary findings from the Beta Test in March 2026, including metrics on system performance, candidate and jurisdiction feedback, and operational lessons learned. A comprehensive public report will follow in May 2026, with detailed psychometric analyses and end-to-end results.

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About the National Conference of Bar Examiners 

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1931. NCBE promotes fairness, integrity, and best practices in bar admissions for the benefit and protection of the public, in pursuit of its vision of a competent, ethical, and diverse legal profession. Best known for developing bar exam content used by 54 US jurisdictions, NCBE serves admission authorities, courts, the legal education community, and candidates by providing high-quality assessment products, services, and research; character investigations; and informational and educational resources and programs. In 2026, NCBE will launch the next generation of the bar examination, ensuring that the exam continues to test the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for competent entry-level legal practice in a changing profession. For more information, visit the NCBE website at https://www.ncbex.org.

About the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam 

Set to debut in July 2026, the NextGen UBE will test a broad range of foundational legal doctrine and lawyering skills in the context of the current practice of law. The skills and concepts to be tested were developed through a nationwide legal practice analysis and reflect the most important knowledge and skills for newly licensed lawyers in both litigation and transactional practice. NCBE is committed to ensuring a systematic, transparent, and collaborative implementation process, informed by input from and participation by stakeholders, and guided by best practices and the professional standards for high-stakes testing. For more information, visit https://www.ncbex.org/exams/nextgen.