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CDA Professional Development Specialist Eligibility Requirements


To conduct Verification Visits as a CDA Professional Development Specialist, an individual must meet the following criteria:

TECHNOLOGY

  • Must have a valid email address
  • Must have access to the Internet

PERSONAL

  • Must be able to relate to people of various racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds.
  • Must be knowledgeable about local, state, and national requirements and standards for child care programs serving children aged birth through 5 years.
  • Must be able to schedule and conduct Verification Visits during normal operating hours of early childhood programs
  • PD Specialists conducting bilingual Verification Visits must be bilingual.
  • PD Specialists conducting monolingual Verification Visits must speak the language of the assessment.

EDUCATION

  • Must hold a Baccalaureate or Associate degree from an accredited college or university in one of the following disciplines:
    - Early Childhood Education/Child Development
    - Elementary Education/Early Childhood Education
    - Home Economics/Child Development
  • The degree must include, at minimum, 18 semester or 24 quarter hours of coursework in Early Childhood Education/Child Development, studying children birth through 5 years.

EXPERIENCE

Option 1For those with a Baccalaureate degree, two years in a child care setting serving children from birth to 5 years of age to include:

  • One year working directly with children as a caregiver, teacher, child life worker, social worker, or similar role and one year facilitating the professional growth of at least one other adult.

Option 2For those with an Associate degree, four years in a child care setting serving children from birth to 5 years of age, to include:

  • Two years working directly with children as a caregiver, teacher, child life worker, social worker, or similar role and two years facilitating the professional growth of at least one other adult.

Note:  Any early care and learning professionals who only partially meet the eligibility requirements, above, may still apply to become a Professional Development Specialist.  A space is provided on the online PD Specialist application, in which interested parties will have the opportunity to provide further explanations.  Final determinations of eligibility will be made by the Council.