Cameron Academy expands to 15 Florida campuses

Cameron Academy of Real Estate has opened its 15th Florida campus and is adding partners as more brokerages, title agencies and law firms ask to join the network. The family-owned school says its growth, free seats and expanded digital platform are aimed at improving long-term agent retention in a state where many new licensees leave the business early.

Why it matters: - Cameron Academy’s expansion reaches more of Florida’s licensing pipeline as the state continues to add active and inactive licensees in large numbers. - The school says its model is designed to help new agents stay in the business longer, not just pass the exam. - The growing partner network gives students access to working brokerages, a title agency and a real estate law firm before they enter the market.

What happened: - Cameron Academy of Real Estate opened its 15th Florida campus. - The school now teaches from Key Largo to Palm Coast, spanning about 380 miles. - Cameron Academy hired 18 instructors statewide this year. - The expansion is the largest single-year growth in the school’s 23-year history. - More brokerages, title agencies and law firms are asking to become the next partner. - Michael Cameron Sidawi, a licensed Florida real estate broker, owns and runs the school and still teaches classes.

The details: - Linda Cameron founded Cameron Academy in Orlando in 2003. - Michael Cameron Sidawi took over in January 2013 after helping run the school from the start. - The school says it has never had an outside owner and turned down an acquisition approach from a national education company. - Current partners include RE/MAX Premier Properties in Downtown Kissimmee, RE/MAX Advance Realty in Kendall, RE/MAX All Keys Real Estate in Key Largo, RE/MAX Heritage - A Bardell Real Estate Company, RE/MAX Realty Unlimited, Market Connect Realty in Dr. Phillips, The Firm RE in Hunters Creek, Grand Living Realty in Palm Coast, Down Home Properties in Wildwood, Messina Law Group, P.A., and Red Door Title. - Sidawi said the partners want direct access to the next generation of agents in their markets. - Cameron Academy says students learn the listing side, legal side and closing process from working professionals. - The school says its platform is proprietary and does not disclose partnership terms. - Cameron Academy was among the first Florida real estate schools to move testing onto computers. - The school shipped the first mobile exam-prep app for U.S. real estate students in 2013. - It was also first in Florida to livestream a class and first to release a Spanish-language version of the Florida real estate pre-license course. - The school is rebuilding its 2013 app into a broader student platform that will include coursework, exam prep and student services. - The new platform is due by the end of Q4 2026. - Cameron Academy offers classes in person, by livestream and online. - The school teaches through song, rhythm, repeated phrasing and story as a mnemonic method. - Earlier editions of Dearborn’s Florida Real Estate Principles, Practices and Law listed Linda Cameron as an editor. - Cameron Academy has taught more than 100,000 students across 800-plus licensing and continuing education courses. - The school says its partner network offers courses in all 50 states. - Cameron Academy says it has a 5-star average across more than 3,000 reviews on platforms including Google and Yelp. - The school provides its coursework free to Florida students ages 15 to 17. - Cameron Academy also offers no-cost seats for people rebuilding after domestic violence or incarceration.

Between the lines: - Florida’s real estate education market has been consolidating, which makes Cameron Academy’s decision to stay independent stand out. - The school is positioning partnerships as a student pipeline strategy rather than a branding play. - The emphasis on retention reflects a broader industry problem: many people can get licensed, but fewer remain active. - The school’s free programs suggest a community-oriented recruitment strategy that can also create long-term loyalty.

What’s next: - Sidawi says Cameron Academy’s expansion will continue in Florida and then move out of state. - The school is open to conversations with brokerages, title agencies and law firms in new markets. - Cameron Academy plans to launch its rebuilt student platform by the end of Q4 2026. - The company is also pushing to expand property education into public schools.

The bottom line: - Cameron Academy is betting that independence, local partnerships and a wider support system will scale better than acquisition.