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CDA National Accreditation Program

What is CDA?

A Child Development Associate (CDA) is a nationally recognized individual who has successfully completed a CDA assessment and has been awarded the CDA credential. The individual is able to meet the specific needs of children and works with parents and other adults to nurture children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth in their ability to meet the CDA Competency Goals through work in any of four settings.

How is Competence Determined?

The Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition evaluates competence through and assessment process. Five components make up the documentation:

1. Professional Resource File-a collection of reference materials related to your work.
   
   
2. Parent Opinion Questionnaires-feedback from parents with children in your classroom or family child care home.
   
   
3. The CDA Assessment Observation Instrument-recorded observations of your skills while working with children and families as primary caregiver.
   
   
4. An Oral Interview-interview conducted by a Council-trained Representative to evaluate your skills and knowledge of good early childhood practices.
   
   
5. A Written Examination-administered by the Council Representative.

ASSESSMENT

To apply for assessment you must meet the following requirements:

• Must be 18 years old.
  
  
• Must have a high school diploma or equivalent.
  
  
• Must have 480 hours of experience working with children within the past 5 years.
  
  
• Must have 120 hours of formal child care education within the past 5 years, including ten hours required in each CDA content area:
  
  
  • Planning safe, healthy learning environment
    
    
  • Steps to advance children’s physical and intellectual development
    
    
  • Positive ways to support children’s social and emotional development
    
    
  • Strategies to establish productive relationships with families
    
    
  • Strategies to manage an effective program operation
    
    
  • Maintaining a commitment to professionalism
    
    
  • Observing and recording children’s behavior
    
    
  • Principles of child growth and development

Setting

You must be working in a licensed or registered early childhood program or Head Start where you can be observed as the primary caregiver. Credentials are available in 4 settings:

1. Center-based Preschool (3-5 years)
   
   
2. Center-based Infant/Toddler (Birth-36 months)
   
   
3. Family Child Care Home
   
   
4. Home Visitor (in an established program of home visits with families with children 5 years of age or younger).

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