TSA – Screener Recertification

The Aviation and Security Act of November 2001, which created the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), also called for TSA to collect performance information on all airport screeners by conducting an annual proficiency evaluation to ensure each screener continues to meet all qualifications and standards related to the functions that he or she performs. To meet this requirement, TSA established an annual recertification program.

To help in implementing the annual recertification program, TSA turned to PTG.

An automated Level 2 system was developed for helping TSA to build, administer, score, record, and report on tests designed to produce valid and reliable results. The system allows tests to be built online using a test building capability, or test questions are imported from other sources. Test scoring keys are input and stored in a test item data bank. Tests can either be downloaded via CD or the Internet to test computers located at airports around the country. The system is also able to receive raw test data via scan able forms, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), email, web-based, or telephone data input. The system has the capability to score tests automatically, using a pre-entered key and provide results through rollup reports that are available to TSA Headquarters, field operations and contract evaluators.

Now supporting TSA’s second annual recertification program, PTG has built a system that allows centralized, multi-level data collection and reporting from both TSA Headquarters and TSA field (airport) operations. Test results from more than 40,000 airport screeners are stored in secure, relational databases. Reports are accessible via a secure Internet web site, or by other means as required by TSA. Various management reports are available to TSA personnel. Sophisticated methods for conducting inter-rater reliability analyses, for conducting bi-variant analysis of data, for performing ad-hoc data analysis, and for facilitating graphical access to pre-identified data (dashboard) are also part of the TSA contract.

To date, PTG has allowed TSA to collect hundreds of thousands of test results, securely and reliably.