The Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential stands as a significant professional milestone for individuals dedicated to nurturing young minds. This credential is a nationally recognized testament to your expertise and commitment in early childhood education, specifically for professionals working with children from birth through five years old. Earning your CDA signifies that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to foster the holistic development of children – encompassing their emotional, physical, intellectual, and social growth.
Investing in a CDA Credential is an investment in your career. It not only enhances your capabilities and confidence in the classroom but also underscores your professionalism and dedication to career advancement within the field of early childhood education. Across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, the CDA Credential is recognized and respected, administered by the Council for Professional Recognition (the Council) in Washington DC (www.cdacouncil.org). For the most current and comprehensive details about the CDA, visiting the Council’s website is highly recommended.
Tailoring Your CDA: Credential Settings
The CDA Credential offers specialized tracks to align with your specific work environment and the age groups you serve. There are four distinct settings available:
- Preschool: Designed for educators in center-based settings working with children aged 3 to 5 years.
- Infant/Toddler: For professionals dedicated to the care and development of children from birth to 36 months in various settings.
- Family Child Care: Tailored for individuals providing care in a home-based environment, catering to mixed age groups or specific age ranges.
- Home Visitor: For professionals who work directly with parents of young children, focusing on parent education and support. It’s important to note that CDA training and assessment fees for the Home Visitor setting are not currently eligible for certain scholarship programs like the EIP scholarships mentioned later.
Foundational Knowledge: CDA Training Requirements
A cornerstone of the CDA Credential process is the completion of 120 hours of formal early childhood education training. This training must be documented and strategically distributed across eight key CDA Competency Standards and Functional Areas, with a minimum of 10 hours dedicated to each:
- Creating Safe and Healthy Learning Environments: Ensuring the well-being and security of children in care.
- Advancing Physical and Intellectual Development: Implementing activities and strategies to promote children’s physical and cognitive growth.
- Supporting Social and Emotional Development: Fostering children’s emotional well-being, social skills, and self-awareness.
- Building Productive Relationships with Families: Establishing strong communication and partnerships with parents and families.
- Managing an Effective Program Operation: Understanding and applying principles of program management and organization.
- Maintaining a Commitment to Professionalism: Adhering to ethical standards and engaging in continuous professional development.
- Observing and Recording Children’s Behavior: Utilizing observation skills to understand individual children’s needs and development.
- Understanding Principles of Child Development and Learning: Applying knowledge of child development theories and learning processes in practice.
Numerous training organizations and colleges offer CDA training programs specifically structured to meet these rigorous requirements. Prospective CDA candidates are encouraged to thoroughly research available programs to identify the best fit for their individual learning styles and career goals. Training completed as part of a CDA Credential program can often be applied towards mandatory regulatory training hours. For specific questions regarding the alignment of CDA training with regulatory requirements, consulting with your Licensor or Registrar at the NYS OCFS (https://ocfs.ny.gov/programs/childcare/regional-offices.php) is advised. Conversely, any training undertaken to fulfill regulatory training mandates may also contribute towards the 120-hour CDA training requirement.
Step-by-Step Guide to Earning Your CDA Credential
The journey to obtaining your CDA Credential is a structured process with clear milestones. Here’s a breakdown of the requirements and steps:
Pre-Application Requirements (Complete anytime before applying):
- Create a CDA Council Account: Register an account on the CDA Council website: www.cdacouncil.org. This will be your central hub for application and credential management.
- Meet Age and Education Criteria: Be at least 18 years old and possess a high school diploma or GED. Alternatively, high school juniors or seniors enrolled in early childhood education career and technical programs are also eligible.
- Complete 120 Hours of CDA Training: Ensure you have completed and documented the required 120 hours of formal early childhood education training across the specified competency areas.
Timeline-Based Requirements:
- Accumulate 480 Hours of Experience (Within 3 years of application): Gain 480 hours of professional experience working directly with children in your chosen CDA setting and age group. This experience must be acquired within three years prior to submitting your CDA application.
- Develop Your CDA Professional Portfolio (Within 6 months of application): Compile your CDA Professional Portfolio, a collection of documents and reflections showcasing your skills and competencies.
- Identify and Contact a CDA PD Specialist (Within 6 months of application): Locate and contact a CDA Professional Development (PD) Specialist to schedule your CDA Verification Visit. This specialist will assess your portfolio and observe your interactions with children.
Submitting Your Initial CDA Application and Assessment:
Once you have fulfilled all the prerequisites – 120 training hours, 480 work experience hours, your professional portfolio, and have secured a PD Specialist – you are ready to submit your Initial Application and Assessment online through your CDA Council account.
After the Council reviews your application for completeness, you will receive a “checkout” email indicating that your application is approved for assessment and payment is now required.
Leveraging EIP Scholarships for CDA Funding:
Following application approval and receipt of the checkout email from the Council, you can apply for an EIP (Education Incentive Program) scholarship to help cover the costs associated with your CDA Credential. Submit a copy of the checkout email from the Council along with your EIP scholarship application and supporting documents.
Upon approval of your EIP application, you will receive an email detailing your award, which you will need to review and accept. Crucially, you will also receive a voucher number directly from the Council via email. Log in to your CDA Council account and redeem this voucher to pay for your application assessment fees.
*Note: While online applications are preferred and streamline the voucher process, if you are submitting a paper application to the Council, you must include a copy of your EIP award documentation with your application packet.
Scheduling Your Verification Visit and Exam:
After your application is fully approved and your voucher is redeemed or payment is processed, the Council will issue a “Ready to Schedule Notice.” This notice empowers you to schedule your CDA Verification Visit with your chosen PD Specialist and to register for the CDA Exam at a conveniently located Pearson VUE testing center. Both the Verification Visit and the CDA Exam must be completed within six months of the date of your “Ready to Schedule Notice.”
Final Credential Decision:
The Council undertakes a comprehensive review of the results from your CDA Verification Visit and your CDA Exam score. Based on this evaluation, the Council will make a final determination on awarding your CDA Credential. If successful, your official CDA certificate will be mailed to you. In the event that the credential is not awarded, the Council will provide detailed information regarding the necessary steps to take to achieve the credential in the future.
The CDA Verification Visit: A Key Assessment Component
The CDA Verification Visit is a critical component of the assessment process, conducted by a qualified Professional Development (PD) Specialist. It is essential to identify and engage a PD Specialist before you submit your CDA application to the Council. Once you receive your “Ready to Schedule Notice,” you can then finalize the scheduling of your visit.
During the Verification Visit, the PD Specialist will thoroughly review your professional portfolio, your training transcripts and certificates, and family questionnaires (if applicable to your setting). A significant part of the visit involves direct observation of you interacting with children in your care setting. Following the observation, you will engage in a reflective discussion with the PD Specialist, focusing on your strengths and areas for growth identified during the observation and through the review of your portfolio and family questionnaires. The PD Specialist is responsible for submitting the results of your Verification Visit directly to the Council for consideration. To locate a PD Specialist in your area, utilize the online directory available on the CDA Council website: www.cdacouncil.org.
The CDA Exam: Demonstrating Your Knowledge
The CDA Exam is a standardized, computer-based exam administered at Pearson VUE testing centers. The exam consists of 65 multiple-choice questions, comprising 60 standard questions and 5 scenario-based questions. The scenario questions present a brief narrative and a photograph, requiring you to apply your knowledge to real-world situations. You will have a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete the exam. Pearson VUE transmits your exam scores directly to the Council.
To be eligible to schedule the CDA Exam, candidates must have already submitted their CDA assessment application and received the “Ready to Schedule Notice” from the Council. Exam scheduling can be conveniently done online or via phone. To find a Pearson VUE testing center near you, please visit: http://www.pearsonvue.com/cdaexam/.
Maintaining Your Credential: CDA Renewal
The CDA Credential is valid for a period of three years from the date it is initially awarded. To maintain your credential, you must apply for renewal. You can initiate the renewal process as early as six months before your credential’s expiration date. Comprehensive information regarding renewal requirements and procedures is available on the CDA Council website: www.cdacouncil.org.
Importantly, EIP scholarships can also be utilized to cover the costs associated with CDA renewal, including both renewal training and the renewal application fee. To access EIP scholarship funds for renewal, apply for your EIP award after you have completed your renewal application with the Council and have received your checkout email confirmation.
EIP Scholarship Eligibility: Funding Your CDA Journey
EIP scholarships represent a valuable resource to make CDA Credentialing more accessible. These scholarships can be applied to cover expenses related to CDA training, the Assessment application fee, and the Renewal fee. To be eligible for an EIP scholarship, you must:
- Fulfill all general eligibility requirements as outlined previously. Notably, income is not a determining factor for scholarship eligibility related to the Assessment Application Fee or Renewal Fee.
- Have accumulated a minimum of 240 hours of experience working with children in an early childhood setting.
EIP scholarships are designated for training activities that commence and conclude within the 2025 calendar year. Scholarship applications must be submitted by December 1, 2025, to be considered for funding. Please note that EIP scholarships cannot be used to purchase the initial CDA application packet.
Scholarship amounts vary based on the type of training provider. Trainings with Verified Trainers, Content Specialists, or asynchronous distance learning formats are funded at a rate of up to $30 per training hour. Trainings with Professional Development Specialists in Early Childhood and/or School-Age are funded at a higher rate, up to $35 per training hour.
It is important to be aware that if you do not successfully pass the CDA assessment, you are required to refund the full amount of your CDA Assessment scholarship to EIP.
The maximum annual scholarship amounts available are as follows:
- Up to $2,500 for credential training
- Up to $500 for CDA assessment fee
- Up to $150 for CDA renewal fee
- Up to $500 for a second CDA setting fee (if applicable)
Understanding CDA Costs and EIP Funding Eligibility
| Activity | Cost | Eligible for EIP funding? |
|---|---|---|
| CDA Preparatory Training | Varies depending on organization | Yes |
| CDA textbook and training materials | Varies depending on item | No |
| CDA Initial Application Packet | $25 per setting plus shipping and handling | No |
| CDA Formal Observation | Paid by the CDA Council to the PD Specialist | No |
| CDA Assessment Application Fee | $425 online application / $500 paper application | Yes |
| CDA Renewal Application Packet | $15 | No |
| CDA Second Setting Fee | $425 online application / $500 paper application | Yes |
| CDA Renewal Fee | $125 online renewal / $150 paper renewal | Yes |
Essential CDA Resources
The Council for Professional Recognition (The Council) www.cdacouncil.org 800-424-4310
- Explore comprehensive information about the CDA Credential.
- Request CDA application forms and materials.
- Contact The Council directly with candidacy inquiries.
By pursuing your CDA Credential, you are taking a significant step towards professional growth and making a lasting impact on the lives of young children. The resources and support systems outlined here are designed to guide you through each stage of the process, empowering you to achieve your goals in early childhood education.
