The Education Standards Advisory Committee (ESAC) convened on October 6, 2025, to address several changes in real estate education and licensing processes in Texas. The meeting included the introduction of a new member, updates on technological improvements, and discussion of legislative changes affecting education requirements for real estate professionals.
Jean Mitchell was welcomed as the newest member of ESAC, replacing Kandi Luensmann, who has transitioned to the Texas Real Estate Commission’s (TREC) Broker-Lawyer Committee.
A significant focus of the meeting was the upcoming launch of the Real Estate and Appraiser License Management (REALM) Portal. The new licensing system is expected to improve the efficiency of application submissions and internal processing. The REALM Portal will transition all education applications from paper to an online process, allowing education providers to renew continuing education (CE) and qualifying education (QE) courses while maintaining the same course number across approval terms. Supporting documents will be uploaded electronically, eliminating the need for mailing separate materials or forms.
The transition to the new system will occur from December 2, 2025, at 5 p.m. CT through December 9, 2025, during which TREC’s current online licensing services will be unavailable. Education providers are advised to inform students to complete their education and renew licenses before this period. The REALM Portal will officially launch on December 10, 2025. As part of the transition, all currently approved courses will receive new course numbers, which will be sent to providers in early December. These numbers are required for submitting course completion information in the Posting System.
The committee also discussed Senate Bill 1968, a housekeeping bill effective January 1, 2026. The bill transfers the authority for setting initial sales agent education requirements from state statute to TREC’s rulemaking process. Currently, the Texas Occupations Code specifies the required education topics for qualifying pre-licensing courses, making updates difficult without legislative action.
Jennifer Wheeler, TREC Education and Examinations Director, stated, “Current statute lays out some basic education topics that each qualifying course must cover, including Texas-specific components. That makes it difficult when, for example, a broker with an out-of-state license wants to come here and obtain a Texas license.”
ESAC is considering the development of a standalone Texas-specific course. This approach could offer more flexibility in accepting equivalent coursework from other states while ensuring all licensees receive instruction on Texas-specific content.
Additionally, the Commission’s licensing exam vendor will conduct a job task analysis within the next year. This review will involve subject matter experts and psychometricians to identify the most relevant knowledge and skills needed in today’s real estate profession.
Director Wheeler noted, “A job task analysis like this hasn’t been performed in at least 15 years. It’s a great opportunity for us to understand what’s current in the industry and ensure our education aligns with it.”
Following the analysis, ESAC plans to review the structure and content of pre-licensing courses.
Materials from the meeting, including the agenda and video recording, are available for download. The next ESAC meeting is scheduled for January 12, 2026, at 10 a.m. CT.
