32-2135. Real estate schools; courses of study; instructors; certification

A. Except as provided in section 32-4301, before offering a course of study towards completion of the education requirement for real estate licensure or renewal of licensure, a school shall obtain from the commissioner a certificate of approval or renewal to operate a school for a period of at least four years. A school shall also obtain a certificate of course approval for each course offered for credit that is not currently approved for another school. Each school is responsible for the content of any course it offers and for the professional administration and teaching of the course. Prelicensure education live classroom courses, prelicensure education distance learning courses, continuing education live classroom courses and distance learning continuing education courses are subject to approval pursuant to this section.

B. Each approved school shall issue a certificate of real estate course attendance to each person who completes an approved prelicensure or continuing education course. An applicant for renewal of licensure as provided by section 32-2130 shall file evidence of the certificates issued by the school with the commissioner showing the number of credit hours and course of study required for renewal.

C. The commissioner may withdraw or deny certification or approval of real estate schools, educational courses or real estate instructors for any acts inconsistent with the requirements of this chapter, including:

1. Committing or failing to report a violation by an approved school or instructor of any provision of this chapter or rules adopted pursuant to this chapter.

2. Improperly certifying student attendance or performance.

3. Committing any act that is grounds for discipline under section 32-2153.

4. Teaching information or using course materials that have not been approved by the commissioner.

5. Failing to attend any continuing education course required by the commissioner.

6. Filing any false or misleading application, report or documentation with the department.

7. Teaching course content that is not current or that has substantially changed from the course as approved.

D. A real estate school, through any owner, director, administrator, instructor or other agent, shall not:

1. Offer a course of study for credit that is not approved by the department, except that the school may advertise a course as pending approval before its approval.

2. Promote or advertise the school using false or misleading statistics or testimonials or any other form of deceptive advertisement.

E. The commissioner may determine minimal content requirements for approving educational courses and appropriate professional qualifications for approving instructors to teach individual educational courses.

F. Except as provided in subsection G of this section, at least thirty days before holding a course of study for completion of the education requirements leading to licensure of real estate applicants or for license renewal requirements, an application for a certificate of course approval or renewal must be filed with the department.  For a live classroom course, the application shall include a course outline with sufficient detail to clearly identify the scope and content of the course. The outline shall state how the course is intended to protect the public. A prelicensure education course outline that is submitted for approval shall be divided into estimated fifty-minute instructional segments. Course approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and shall not be issued later than thirty days after filing with the department for a live classroom course.  A continuing education distance learning course approval shall not be issued later than ninety days after filing with the department. If the approvals under this subsection are not granted within the time frames prescribed by this subsection, the course shall be automatically approved on a provisional basis for one hundred eighty days, unless the department has otherwise notified the applicant of specific deficiencies or unfulfilled requirements for the course submission. A provisional approval may be withdrawn by the department on fifteen days' advance notice if the department's review of the course subsequently reveals course deficiencies or unfulfilled course requirements. If not withdrawn, the course approval shall remain approved for the entire course approval period.  Course approval shall be for a period of at least four years if the contents of the course remain current and substantially unchanged. The course may not be taught if the content ceases to be current or is substantially changed.  The department may establish by rule additional appropriate requirements for approval of a distance learning course.

G. At least ninety days before holding a distance learning course of study for completion of the education requirements leading to licensure of real estate applicants, an application for a certificate of distance learning course approval must be filed with the department. A distance learning course outline that is submitted for approval shall be divided into estimated fifty-minute instructional segments.  Distance learning course approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and shall be issued not later than ninety days after filing with the department. If the approvals under this subsection are not granted within the time frames prescribed by this subsection, the distance learning course shall be automatically approved on a provisional basis for one hundred eighty days, unless the department has otherwise notified the applicant of specific deficiencies or unfulfilled requirements for the distance learning course submission.  A provisional approval may be withdrawn by the department on fifteen days' advance notice if the department's review of the distance learning course subsequently reveals course deficiencies or unfulfilled course requirements. If not withdrawn, the distance learning course approval shall remain approved for the entire distance learning course approval period. Distance learning course approval shall be for a period of at least four years if the contents of the distance learning course remain current and substantially unchanged.  The distance learning course may not be taught if the content ceases to be current or is substantially changed. Approved distance learning courses must provide for student participation, feedback and remedial instruction. The department may establish by rule additional appropriate requirements for approval of a distance learning course.

H. For a currently approved course or distance learning course:

1. Unless granted an exemption by the commissioner, the school shall submit notice to the department at least fourteen days before holding the course to allow department employees to monitor the course. The notice is not otherwise subject to review and approval by the department.

2. With the permission of the school that received original approval for the course, another school that desires to offer the course is subject only to the fourteen-day notice requirement before holding the same course. No additional review and approval by the department is required.

I. The department shall approve for continuing education credit any course of study proposed by a real estate school if the course satisfies the commissioner's requirements and is held in this state.

J. The department may approve for continuing education credit any course of study proposed by a real estate school if the course satisfies the commissioner's requirements and is held outside this state. On the commissioner's request, the school shall either:

1. Provide the department with a video recording of the course.

2. Make arrangements that are approved by the department for monitoring the course.

K. An instructor shall file with the department an application for instructor approval or renewal. Instructor approval shall be for at least four years after the date of approval and is subject to amendment during the license period only if information material to the instructor's qualifications has changed. A person holding instructor approval to teach specific subject matter is not subject to additional or duplicate approval requirements during the original approval period, except that an additional instructor competency area may be added during the license period on submission by the instructor of evidence of competency in such additional competency area.

L. In the twenty-four months before application, each instructor original or renewal applicant, other than a panelist, guest speaker, attorney or out-of-state instructor, shall attend at least a three-hour professional seminar or workshop, approved by the department, emphasizing instruction methods, techniques and skills. At the discretion of the commissioner this requirement may be waived based on individual request review.

M. The course filing time frames prescribed in this section may be waived by the department for good cause shown.

N. Unless subject to a violation or suspected violation listed in subsection C of this section, the department's approval of a school, school official, instructor or course shall be processed in a time frame consistent with the time frames set forth in this section.

O. This section does not affect the department's ability to withdraw or deny certification or approval of real estate schools, education courses or real estate instructors for a violation of this chapter.