31 TSA MD 1900.18, FINAL, eff 24.12.04.pdf

This is a TSA Management Directive (MD 1900.18) establishing policies and procedures for governing the Transportation Security Administration's instructor workforce.

The directive applies to all TSA employees serving in instructor job series or roles across the agency, with Program Managers and Contracting Officer Representatives responsible for ensuring instructors providing training under contractual agreements meet established instructional standards and maintain technical expertise through inclusion of instructor standards in Statements of Work. Key definitions include Academy Information System (ACADIS), Instructor Basic Certification (IBC), Instructor Development Course (IDC), Instructor Quality Assurance Assessment, Online Learning Center (OLC), Quality Assurance Program (QAP), Subject Matter Expert (SME), and Train-the-Trainer (T3) processes. Responsibilities are distributed across multiple organizational levels: the Assistant Administrator for T&D/Chief Learning Officer oversees governance and approves certification criteria; the Executive Director for Training Centers Division establishes certification criteria, ensures IBC and IDC availability, validates exceptions, and ensures adherence to standards; Directors and Branch Managers ensure successful course completion, maintain instructor certification and qualification status, provide QA training to Supervisory Training Instructors, conduct annual QA assessments, and maintain training records in accordance with TSA MD 1900.3. Federal Security Directors manage instructor workforce allocation, ensure IBC completion upon appointment, provide QA training, and conduct annual assessments. Training Managers, Supervisory Training Specialists, and Training Points-of-Contact partner with T&D to manage operations and ensure annual QA assessments. Individual instructors must complete appropriate certification courses within 180 days of assignment, maintain subject matter expertise, participate in professional development, follow approved lesson plans, conduct training to established standards, and assist with training administration and logistics. The policy requires annual QA assessments for all instructors regardless of delivery method (virtual or in-person), mandates that all instructors and assessors follow specified procedures, and permits exceptions only with T&D Assistant Administrator approval. The directive became effective December 4, 2024, and references three associated handbooks: the Training and Development Instructor Handbook, Security Operations Field Instructor Handbook, and Instructor Standards Quality Assurance Program Handbook.