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You can become part of the solution and help to end the struggle for quality child care. As a caregiver of young children, you are responsible for them during the most important years in their lives.

What is the CDA National Credentialing Program?
The CDA National Credentialing Program is a major effort initiated in 1971 to enhance the quality of child care by establishing the standards that define, evaluate, and recognize the competence of child care providers and home visitors.

Administered by the Council for Professional Recognition, the CDA Program benefits caregivers and communities alike. It offers caregivers the opportunity to look at their work in relation to national standards, to receive feedback and support from people in the field, to improve their skills, and to earn a professional credential that is recognized nationwide. Communities benefit because competent individuals strongly influence the education, nurturing, and the development of children during their most critical years.

Who is a CDA?
A Child Development Associate (CDA) is an individual who has successfully completed the CDA assessment process and has been awarded the CDA Credential. CDAs are able to meet the specific needs of children and work with parents and other adults to nurture children's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth in a child development framework.

A CDA performs according to the CDA Competency Goals in center-based, home visitor or family child care programs. To date, there are more than 200,000 CDAs in all 50 United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. territories of Guam and the Virgin Islands.

As a result of an increase in demand from many public and private employers for qualified trained staff, the number of child care providers applying for the CDA Credential has grown to nearly 15,000 annually. Furthermore, 49 states plus the District of Columbia incorporate the CDA Credential into their childcare center licensing regulations.

Benefits of a CDA

• Possess the knowledge and skills needed to meet the specific needs of children in order to nurture their physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth in a child development framework
• Accomplishment and recognition for obtaining a respected, national credential
• Opportunities for advanced education and/or career advancement
• Eligibility to participate in the REETAIN program and earn an additional annual grant

CDA Assessment Setting-Specific Requirements

Center-based Preschool, Center-based Infant Toddler, or Family Child Care

In addition, applicants must meet the following setting-specific criteria:

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Must hold a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Must have 120 hours of formal child care education in eight CDA content areas.

The eligibility requirement for CDA Candidates to have 120 clock hours of formal child care education may be met through participation in the wide variety of training available in the field, including in-service. While the formal education hours can be credit or noncredit, the hours must be through an agency or organization with expertise in early childhood teacher preparation. The agency or organization must provide verification of the Candidate's education in the form of a transcript, certificate, or letter.

The 120 clock hours of education must be documented, with no fewer than 10 hours in each of the following content areas:

1. Planning a safe, healthy environment to invite learning;
2. Steps to advance children's physical and intellectual development;
3. Positive ways to support children's social and emotional development;
4. Strategies to establish productive relationships with families;
5. Strategies to manage an effective program operation;
6. Maintaining a commitment to professionalism;
7. Observing and recording children's behavior; and
8. Principles of child development and learning.

• Must have 480 hours of experience working with children in a group setting:

Preschool: ages 3 through 5
Infant/Toddler: ages birth through 36 months including Young Infants (0-8 months), Mobile Infants (9-17 months), and Toddlers (18-36 months)
Family Child Care: ages birth through 5.

• Must select an eligible Advisor to complete the formal observation.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The cost of the application packet from the Council is $18.00+ $5.00 shipping and handling; the fee for assessment is $325.00

WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?
YOU MUST COMPLETE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS PLUS:

• Be a high school graduate or have a GED,
• Be 18 years or older,
• Have 480 hours of experience working with children within the past 5 years

1. Call 1-800-424-4310 (Council for Professional Recognition) for brochure and beginning information.
2. Purchase a CDA packet in either Infant/Toddler, Preschool, or Family child care specialization track. Packets in Spanish are also available. Packets can be purchased through the Council for Professional Recognition by ordering online or downloading the order form to mail in . 
3. Attend 120 hours of formal education/training. (All training must have occurred within five years of application date) Training can be completed at one institution/agency or through a combination of sources. (i.e. technical college, resource and referral agencies, workshops, colleges, etc.) Training must fit into the eight specific content areas, with at least ten hours in each area.
4. Secure an advisor (eligibility requirements are listed in CDA packet) or call 1-800-424-4310 for a list of advisors in your area. The advisor will observe you (with children) for a minimum of two hours and give you feedback for one hour. Advisor visit(s) need to be completed within six months of applying for assessment. Your advisor will complete an assessment booklet (found in CDA packet) and will sign it and leave it with you to turn in to the National Representative.
5. Complete Professional Resource File, instructions are in CDA packets.
6. When 120 hours of education, advisor visit and Professional Resource File are complete, distribute parent questionnaires to the parents of the children in your care.
7. Apply for assessment by either March 1, June 1, September 1 or December 1 of any year. Application form is in CDA packet. Your advisor and director (if center employee) are required to sign the application. If you are a family child care provider, you need to complete the director section of the application. The assessment fee is $325.00.
8. Wait to hear from the National Representative. (30-120 days) S/he will make an appointment with you to administer a written test and oral interview. S/he will collect:
   • a copy of your competency goal statements and autobiography (from you Professional Resource File)
   • completed parent questionnaires
   • your assessment booklet completed by your advisor
9. The Advisor will also review your Professional Resource File and will send all results to The Council for Professional Recognition. The Council will review the information and decide whether to issue the CDA credential. (This process can take from 30-90 days)

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
Upon receipt of a Candidate's Application Form, the $325 assessment fee, and documentation of training, the Council schedules a Verification Visit by a Council Representative. The Council Representative contacts the Candidate to arrange the date and place for the visit. These assignments are made four times a year according to the following timetable:

During the Verification Visit the Council Representative will:

1. Check the content of the Professional Resource File prepared by the Candidate;
2. Collect documents from the Candidate to mail to the Council;
3. Administer the Early Childhood Studies Review—a two-hour, multiple choice examination taken by the Candidate; and
4. Conduct the Oral Interview to evaluate the Candidate’s skills and knowledge of good early childhood care and education practices.

Details about all of these procedures are included in the Application Packet .

At the conclusion of the Verification Visit, the Council Representative will return the Professional Resource File to the Candidate and submit the remaining material to the Council.

A Council committee conducts a review of the Candidate's documentation and renders a decision whether to award the credential. If a Credential is awarded, the official Credential is sent to the new Child Development Associate. If the committee decides the Candidate needs more training, the Council notifies the Candidate and informs them of appeal procedures and other subsequent options.

WHAT DOES AN ADVISOR DO?
A vital source of evidence of a Candidate's skill is actual hands-on work as a primary caregiver with children and families. The formal observation of the Candidate will provide evidence of these practices.

The Advisor observes the Candidate while working as a lead caregiver with young children in an eligible setting, and records the observation(s) using the CDA Observation Instrument. The Advisor may complete the formal observation in one visit or several visits. Observations should be within 6 months before the time the Candidate submits the Direct Assessment Application Form to the Council.

The Advisor will:

• Conduct a formal observation, for a minimum of three hours, and evaluate a Candidate's consistent performance within the selected setting using the CDA Observation Instrument.

• Supply the Council with detailed comments about the Candidate's consistent classroom behaviors, within the structure of the CDA Observation Instrument.

• Interview the Candidate, if necessary, to assess any unobservable area(s) in the CDA Observation Instrument.

• Place the CDA Observation Instrument in a sealed envelope, to ensure confidentiality and return it to the Candidate. The Candidate will deliver the envelope to the Council Representative at the time of the Verification Visit.

 E-mail me if you would like more information about obtaining a CDA or would like have an advisor, or for help in finding educational opportunities in your area.