The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) adopts an amendment to §535.64, concerning accreditation of schools and approval of courses and instructors, without changes to the proposed text as published in the May 11, 2001, issue of the Texas Register (26 TexReg 3449). The amendment establishes an expiration date for all current examination preparation courses and requires each school to apply for approval to offer another course after December 31, 2001. Schools may apply for new course approvals no sooner than three months before the current course approval expires. To ensure that there is adequate time for review of new course materials, the amendment does not require TREC to act on the application sooner than 30 days after the application is filed. Once approved, an examination preparation course may be offered for a two year period, and all approvals would expire December 31 of odd-numbered years. The amendment also clarifies that an examination preparation course must be approved in the same manner as all other courses offered by the school and that the course must be updated by the school. To protect the confidentiality of the TREC licensing examination program, the amendment also requires the school to ensure that students in examination preparation courses are made aware of the restrictions on dissemination of information about test items and the punishments, including license revocation, for violation of the restrictions. Adoption of the amendment is necessary to ensure the materials in examination preparation courses are current and accurate and that students enrolling in such courses are adequately prepared to sit for the TREC examinations.

No comments were received regarding the proposal.

The amendment is adopted under Texas Civil Statutes, Article 6573a, §5(h), which authorizes the Texas Real Estate Commission to make and enforce all rules and regulations necessary for the performance of its duties.