Frequently asked questions &
answers about the CDA Credential
Q. What does a Candidate have to do to
be eligible?
A. Candidates must be 18
years old; have a high school diploma or
equivalent; have 480 hours of experience working
with young children; and have 120 clock hours of
formal training.
Q. What does the Candidate have to do
to complete the assessment?
A. Candidates must meet
eligibility requirements and complete the
documentation collection, including the
Professional Resource File, Formal Observation,
Parent Opinion Questionnaires. Then, meet with the
Council Representative to complete an oral
interview and written test.
Q. What is the cost for the CDA Direct
Assessment System?
A. The cost is $325.
Application packets are available for $18 (plus
$5.00 shipping and handling) and provide
instructions for Candidates to prepare for
assessment.
Q. Is there scholarship money to help
pay the CDA fee?
A. Yes. The CDA
Scholarship Resource list (see “CDA Scholarships”
on this website) provides state-funding
information. You should contact your state office
for eligibility information. IF you are income
eligible, the state MAY pay for all or part of the
training costs, and the state MAY also pay the
assessment fee.
Q. Does the center have to be open for
the Verification Visit?
A. No. Once the
Application is complete, the Verification Visit
can take place at an appropriate location.
Q. Where can I obtain CDA
training?
A. Candidates must
complete all formal education hours under the
auspices of an agency or organization that has
expertise in early childhood teacher preparation.
The training could be for college credit or for no
credit. The Council does not accept training from
independent consultants or from conference
workshops.
Q. Can Candidates in a high school
vocational program count their
training hours as
formal education?
A. Yes. However,
Candidates can't apply for assessment until they
are 18 years or older and have their high school
diplomas.
Q. Who determines if an agency has
expertise in early childhood teacher preparation,
the agency or the Council?
A. Since the Council
doesn't have a formal approval process, the agency
determines its expertise. It must have a training
coordinator or specialist in charge of its formal
training program.
Q. What should a training agency list
on the certificate to verify a Candidate's formal
education?
A. The certificate
should include the agency's name and address,
Candidate's name and date of the training session,
content area, the number of hours successfully
completed, and authorized signature.
Q. What happens if a Candidate doesn't
pass the written assessment?
A. The decision about
whether to issue a CDA credential will be made
after weighing all evidence of the Candidate's
competence. The written test is only one part of
the evidence. Other evidence of stronger skills
may balance some evidence of weaker skills and
competence.
Q. What is the role of the Advisor?
A. The Advisor observes
the Candidate while working as a lead teacher and
uses the CDA Observation Instrument to record this
observation(s). The Council does not require
Advisors to "train" Candidates, although many
Advisors are also trainers.
Q. Are application and training
materials available in Spanish?
A. Yes. All Competency Standards books, all
application packets (including documentation) and Essentials (Fundamentos) , Field
Advisor's Guide (Guía del Asesor de Práctica) and Seminar Instructor's
Guide (Guia del Instructor de Seminario) are currently available in Spanish.
Q. Which Candidates use the Spanish
materials?
A. Candidates who are
employed in programs where their everyday work
requires them to speak Spanish to the children use
these materials. These Candidates will complete an
assessment in Spanish (Monolingual - Spanish) to
earn the CDA Credential.
Q. I speak two languages. Can I apply
for a bilingual credential?
A. Candidates who wish
to obtain a bilingual credential must work in a
bilingual setting that requires the Candidate to
speak both languages daily and consistently and
have a working knowledge of two languages.
Q. How can I renew my CDA
Credential?
A. The initial CDA Credential is valid for a period of three years. Subsequent renewals are required every five years. The renewal process involves three steps: (1) purchase CDA Renewal Packet ($13.00 plus $5.00 shipping and handling); (2) compile required documents; and (3) mail the required documentations and $50 renewal fee to the council.
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