What is the CDA?
The CDA is a national credential for individuals working with children ages birth to five. The program is sponsored by The Council for Professional Recognition, headquartered in Washington, D.C. It is designed to provide performance-based training, assessment and credentialing of caregivers who demonstrate their ability to nurture children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth in a child development framework.
Who is eligible?
Candidates seeking to apply for CDA assessment must (at the time of application) :
- Must have a high school diploma, GED or be enrolled as a junior or senior in a high school career and technical program in early childhood education.
- Have 480 hours of experience working with children within the past three years
- Complete 120 hours of formal early childhood education training, covering the growth and development of children ages birth to 36 months, with no fewer than 10 training hours in each of the eight CDA® subject areas.
- Identify a child care program to be observed in working as the lead caregiver
- Be able to speak, read, write and understand English, or the language you will be pursuing your credential in, well enough to complete all aspects of the process
Why would someone want to obtain a CDA?
The CDA is a self-paced, on-the-job credential for working individuals. It is nationally recognized and will therefore move with the Candidate from job to job and state to state. It may be required or encouraged by a program or employer, or required to meet state licensing and/or accreditation standards for directors and/or staff members. It helps to improve both knowledge base and practical classroom skills. It is relatively inexpensive as compared to higher education and there are scholarships and incentives available to help defray the cost. It could lead to a raise, promotion, or better employment in the field.
What is the CDA Consultant’s role?
The CDA Consultant guides each participant through the process of achieving their CDA in various ways including: helping to assess and track training hours, providing constructive feedback, offering support for completing the Professional Portfolio, and remaining available to each participant to answer questions, address concerns.
