2607 APPROVED CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS

2607.1 The Board, in its discretion, may approve continuing education programs that contribute to the growth in professional competence of a real estate broker, real estate salesperson, or property manager, and that meet the other requirements of this section.2607.2 Unless the school or organization offering the program or course is exempt from the accreditation requirements of the Educational Licensure Commission, the school or organization shall obtain certification or licensure from the Educational Licensure Commission.2607.3 Schools or organizations accredited by the Educational Licensure Commission that offer continuing education programs or courses shall be considered certified for the purposes of this section.2607.4 All approved or accredited education programs shall be available to all licensees regardless of broker affiliation.2607.5 The Board may approve the following types of continuing education programs, if the programs meet the requirements of § 2607.8 of this section:- (a) A seminar or workshop;

- (b) An educational program given at a conference, institute, or academy;

- (c) An undergraduate or graduate course given at a college or university accredited by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation or the Secretary of the United States Department of Education; or

- (d) A distance learning course that has been approved by the Board pursuant to § 2607.9 of this section.2607.6 A sponsor of a continuing education program shall submit a completed application to the Board no less than sixty (60) days prior to the date of the presentation for each program for which the sponsor seeks approval.2607.7 A sponsor of a continuing education program shall have the burden of verifying whether the Board, pursuant to this section, has approved a program prior to advertising the program as approved by the Board.2607.8 In order to be approved by the Board for continuing education credit, a program shall meet the following requirements:- (a) The program shall contribute to the professional competence of participants;

- (b) The program shall be directly related to increasing the participants' knowledge and skills in the real estate profession;

- (c) The stated program objectives shall specify the level of knowledge the participant should have attained, or the level of competency the participant should be able to demonstrate, upon completing the program;

- (d) The program shall be developed by persons qualified in the subject matter and in instructional design;

- (e) The program shall be instructed by an individual approved by the Board;

(f) The program content shall be current in its subject matter;

(g) All providers shall have a system of written evaluation by students in which the activity and instructor is evaluated at the end of each offering. The evaluation form shall accompany the application. Providers shall keep the completed evaluation forms on each course and instructor for four (4) years from the end of the offering; and

(h) The sponsor shall agree to allow the Board to conduct an audit of the written student evaluations at any time.

2607.9 Distance learning courses may be approved as follows:

(a) Distance learning courses that are certified by the Association of Real Estate Licensing Law Officials (ARELLO) shall be considered for approval by the Board under this section if they provide the Board with appropriate documentation that ARELLO certification is in effect, that the distance learning course meets the content requirements of § 2607.8 of this section, and the course meets the following other requirements of the Board:

(1) Distance learning courses shall not include pre-licensing education courses and shall only include elective continuing education courses;

(2) Distance learning courses shall only include elective continuing education courses;

(3) Distance learning courses shall be a mastery-based format defined as follows:

(i) Having at least one objective;

(ii) Having a method for measuring student progress;

(iii) Having delivery formats that are interactive, which may include computer based instruction via CD-ROM or the Internet; and

(iv) Having a delivery format that does not deliver course material in a passive, text only format consisting primarily of questions similar to those found on the licensing examination.

(4) Distance learning courses shall be in a mastery-based format;

(5) Distance learning courses shall be equivalent to in-class continuous instruction and attendance formats; and

(6) Distance learning providers located outside of the District of Columbia (District) approved by ARELLO shall offer courses through District based and approved distance-learning providers.

(b) Approval under this section shall be revoked immediately should ARELLO certification be discontinued for any reason;

(c) The distance-learning provider shall inform the Board immediately if ARELLO certification is discontinued for any reason; and

(d) A student shall complete the distance-learning course within three-months of the date of enrollment in the course.

2607.10 The Board may approve programs with a minimum of one (1) instructional hour.

2607.11 Any significant changes in program content or program instructor shall be submitted to the Board in writing no less than thirty (30) days prior to the change for Board approval.

2607.12 Approval of a program or course by the Board shall continue until the end of the two (2) year licensing period during which approval is given.

2607.13 A program sponsor shall issue a certificate of successful completion to a licensee who completes the program. A program sponsor shall not issue a certificate to a licensee who fails to complete the entire program.

2607.14 Within ten (10) days after the completion of the continuing education program, the program sponsor shall forward to the Board, on the program sponsor's letterhead (bearing the sponsor's name, address, and telephone number), a list of all participants, which includes each participant's license number and employing broker's name and address.

2607.15 A program sponsor shall retain records of the following information:

1. (a) The outline of the program;
2. (b) The program date(s);
3. (c) The program location(s);
4. (d) The instructors; and
5. (e) The number of instructional hours.

2607.16 A program sponsor shall retain a copy of the information required by §§ 2607.13 and 2607.14 f of this section for a period of not less than five (5) years.

2607.17 A sponsor of a program that has been approved by the Board for one (1) license period shall reapply for approval at least sixty (60) days prior to the beginning of the next license renewal period.

2607.18 A sponsor of a continuing education program that has been approved by the Board may apply for renewal of that program by submitting a renewal application and, in alternate renewal cycles, providing an updated syllabus outlining the course content.

2607.19 Sponsors or schools offering continuing education programs are required to notify the Board, within thirty (30) days if ARELLO certification ceases.

SOURCE: Emergency and Final Rulemaking published at 40 DCR 8501(December 10, 1993); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 52 DCR 6962 (July 29, 2005).