Board presses Appraisal Foundation on safeguards for demonstration and practicum pathways

Board members pressed Foundation trustees and providers on oversight mechanisms before endorsing any demonstration‑report pathway or alternative experience credit.

"If this was in a government agency, if we were a government agency, we would be engaging in nepotism," Peter Fontana said as he described long‑standing mentor‑and‑supervisor barriers to entry. Board members and counsel asked concrete questions about who would review demonstration reports, whether states could impose probationary conditions, and how to verify access to data sources and MLS for demonstration applicants.

Panelists described models ranging from state review of demonstration reports to AQB‑approved entities that would vet candidates. Randy suggested states could require a probationary window in which a newly licensed candidate must submit live reports for state review: "I believe that if if you want to put in place that they have a license that requires that's that says a 6 months probationary and they have to turn some reports into you. I think you can do that." Board members responded by emphasizing public trust concerns if the college degree requirement is removed for certain credentials.

Why it matters: The technical design of any alternative pathway affects both the size of the profession and the board's ability to protect consumers. Texas regulators signaled they will use the AQB comment period to press for state‑level guardrails.