The ISA Curriculum

 The heart of any training program is the curriculum and lesson plan. And if you’re ok spending your money on a training program written on a napkin we’re not the training program for you. ISA curriculum are written to ensure they meet the requirements as set forth in the August 10, 2015, Virginia regulation 6VAC20-173-170. for private security services training.

  Curriculum Philosophy: The design and goals of each ISA program curriculum reflect our training philosophy of every lesson being centered on the student, and utilizing the best student learning process. All material is evaluated for the best method of instruction/learning and then tested for results. Hands-on, lecture or self and community teaching methods are all embraced to ensure every student is successful. Course managers ensure all topics, methods, procedures, and technologies are the latest available and meet or exceed the regulatory requirements of our accreditation agencies. All programs of instruction are designed around or based on the best teaching practices of the US Military, Law Enforcement and our partners in higher education.

 Standards: When new learning standards are adopted/required by our accreditation agencies, ISA course managers will adjust the curriculum into “alignment” with the new requirements or learning expectations outlined in the new standards. 

**Note** ISA course managers regularly submit new lesson plans to former training directors, instructors and course managers of federal, state, local law enforcement and military training centers for review and vetting.  This practice ensures ISA programs continue to meet or exceed the standards of those of training centers around the country.   

 Assessment Requirements: Because federal and state regulations or policies may require students to attend mandated training or take standardized tests, and because all ISA training programs are subject to audits and regulatory penalties, ISA instructors ensure mandated training is covered, and use state-approved formats of standardized testing.

 Curriculum Alignment: ISA program designers and instructors are constantly trying to improve our curriculum’s by ensuring each course is in “alignment” with the learning standards and material in other ISA courses. We do this to eliminate learning gaps that may exist with follow-on training courses. So if a graduate of a basic program attends an advanced course later, the basic material will be the foundation for the advanced course.  

 Training Resources: The resources needed by ISA instructors are always going to be made available. New updated manuals and references, laptops, interactive whiteboards and other materials can all make significant contributions to the instruction process. So it is the policy of ISA to take advantage of all new technologies as they become available.

 Professional Development: As new teaching/learning resources and methods are validated and added to the curriculum instructors must attend professional development programs to ensure this new resource is used effectively.  

 Curriculum Scripting: The scripting of a curriculum while providing a standardized lesson plan for instructors requires a particular sequence of pre-prepared lessons, which often leads to instructors simply reading aloud from a lesson plan or PowerPoint slide. This limits the professional autonomy and creativity of individual instructors. ISA instructors are not limited or restricted to scripted lesson plans, but rather encouraged to adapt their teaching methods and styles to the material, and the material to their teaching style.

Scripted lesson plans are available for mobile training teams and affiliated instructors authorized to teach ISA course material. 

ISA course managers interview graduates, subject matter experts, master instructors, corporate security experts, former agents of the US Secret Service and others to ensure we have the right mix of classroom and hands-on training, as well as the latest technology in each of our training programs. 

The feedback we receive is used to continuously improve our teaching methods and the student learning experience. Former students, our industry peers and competitors alike are always welcome to audit future training courses and encouraged to share their experiences and impressions.

“Knowing something really well doesn’t mean you can teach it well” -Small Pond Science

All ISA instructors are vetted with their training, operational experience, and credentials validated and subject to audit. ISA requires all of our staff to have real-world operational proven experience in the material they teach.

ISA instructors must attend continuing education courses and instructor development training to stay with our program, and all instructors must be vetted and accredited by state law enforcement agencies or other official organizations.

ISA does not provide live weapons training in any of our five or seven-day programs. Live weapon training is only available in our 14 and 21-day courses after we have had an opportunity to evaluate the student’s prior experience and training. Every student must have completed a state certified, nationally recognized or military basic weapons safety course and provide full documentation of that training prior to attending these courses.
Exceptions will be made for law enforcement and military organizations attending any of our courses.