The Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential

The Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™ is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education (ECE) and is a key stepping stone on the path of career advancement in ECE.

The CDA is based on a core set of early childhood competency standards, which guide early care professionals as they work toward becoming qualified teachers of young children. The Council for Professional Recognition works to ensure that the nationally transferable CDA is a credible and valid credential, recognized by the profession as a vital part of professional development.

Individuals with a CDA have knowledge about how to put the CDA Competency Standards into practice and have a deep understanding of why those standards help children move with success from one developmental stage to another. Put simply, individuals with a CDA know how to nurture the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of children.

Earning a CDA is a big commitment, but one that creates confident practitioners with command of today’s best practices for teaching young children.  Over 300,000 educators have received their CDA to date!

Contact your local CCR&R today for more information or to ask when their next CDA class begins! Also ask about scholarships! Scholarship assistance is available for CDA applicants.