Building a Better Learning Experience: What's Ahead for NAR Education

While millions of students are returning to the classroom, the National Association of REALTORS® is busy upgrading its own educational offerings.

For the last year and half, the association has been overhauling its education experience known as the Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD), an effort helmed personally by CEO Nykia Wright.

Members made their opinions heard through focus groups, surveys and in person meetings: They want a better CRD. In response, the association prioritized the transformation of CRD, holding itself accountable by tethering the upgrade to the organization’s three-year Strategic Plan.

Now, ahead of several significant milestones, the association is beginning to pull back the curtain. This fall, the association will launch a new Verified Instructor training and endorsement, updated education courses and a new learning management system to power the platform.

Here's what members can expect in the next few months.

Standardized Instructor Training

The first big change is verifying teacher qualifications. Right now, the main prerequisites instructors need to lead a CRD course are that they've previously taken the course, hold an active designation and have a CRD provider interested in hiring them.

Starting this fall, NAR will offer training to standardize instructional competency as a part of its commitment to high-quality, learner-centered education. Following successful completion of the course, participants will be eligible to take a rubric-based assessment. Those who do not pass will be paired with a mentor and provided detailed feedback on how they can improve in preparation for the next assessment. For current, proven educators, there will be a mechanism to fast-track the assessment.

Continuing education will also be required as part of a three-year re-endorsement cycle.

“It’s about upskilling instructors to put on effective courses that help agents gain meaningful skills to improve their businesses,” Matt Geisreiter, NAR director of member learning, said. “This endorsement signals to course providers, that instructors have demonstrated the skills needed to facilitate effective learning.”

NAR plans to promote the opportunity to encourage a new crop of educators. The association also views this upgrade as a way to establish an instructor directory associations can turn to.

"Education directors and providers will be able to use the directory to find instructors more easily and identify those who have earned NAR Verified status,” Geisreiter said. “It's a way to distinguish instructors who are committed to continually growing their craft and investing in their development as educators."

NAR piloted the training with 13 people at its Leadership Summit in Chicago on Aug. 24–25. 

Course Modernization

The second key improvement involves the course content itself.

NAR started with the certificates, certifications and designations that are most relevant to today’s market challenges.

The organization consulted with its stakeholders including the Professional Development Committee, state and local association education directors and affiliated institutes, societies and councils, and engaged outside vendors to refresh the courses.

Previously, trainings were text-heavy and not particularly interactive, Geisreiter explained.

"We've heard feedback from members, and we are modernizing our education to make learning more engaging, practical and accessible for today's real estate professionals,” Geisreiter shared. “Whether members are taking an online e-learning or a classroom training with an instructor, they will have world class training content that has high levels of engagement such as videos, interactive scenarios and role plays that empower them with the skills and knowledge to be successful.”

In essence, the classes aim to be more interactive, digestible and skill-building so that students can apply what they learn in real life.

New User Experience

The third element of CRD's facelift is user experience. For members, the hub that houses CRD's online courses fell short.

"It was not the best learning management system, and that's just speaking as kindly as I can," Wright said this week at Leadership Summit, a gathering of REALTOR® association executives and incoming presidents.

Website crashes, inconsistent saving of progress and a dated feel were just some of the issues, Geisreiter explained.

"It was just a really inconsistent experience," he said.

"The big thing is it doesn't meet members where they want to be met," Geisreiter added, noting that real estate agents aren't sitting down in front of a computer, but rather on-the-go, utilizing laptops and cellphones. Another limitation with the system: It wasn’t mobile-optimized.

That's why modernizing the education website, learning.realtor, with content optimized for desktop, mobile and tablet became a top priority. In early 2026, NAR selected a new learning management system, Docebo, which Wright called the "Ferrari" among competitors.

The Vision

Wright shared her vision for CRD this week at Leadership Summit.

"Imagine a world in which ... the National Association of REALTORS®, via the states and locals, is the largest and most prominent real estate education company in the world," Wright said on Monday during a Town Hall.

Taken together, the three-pronged revamp—verified instructors, engaging course content, a better user experience—supports Wright's larger goal for NAR to become a "basecamp" for agents looking to develop new skills and ascend in their careers.