A New Website for a New Era: 7 Pathways Designed for You

In recent years, our CDA® community has taken leaps and strides in collective growth. At the Council, we have been honored to issue nearly 1 million Child Development Associate® (CDA) credentials to early childhood professionals. We’ve also increased the scope of our engagement with high school CTE programs, thought partners, policymakers and more. As we look toward a new era for the CDA®, we are committed to advocating for lasting change within the early childhood education sector and expanding the CDA® globally so that all children can receive access to the quality education they deserve.

In order to best serve the needs of our growing community, we have redesigned our website to provide a streamlined, user-friendly experience for website visitors old and new. As you explore the new website, we invite you to follow the new user pathway system. You can find the pathway links at the top of the home page:

If you scroll down on the home page, you can also access the pathways by selecting your role here:

What are the 7 pathways?

1. Educator

Who is this pathway designed for?

• Current or prospective Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™ holders
• Current or prospective early childhood educators

What can I find in this pathway?

2. High School

Who is this pathway designed for?

• High school faculty and administrators
• High school students

What can I find in this pathway?

• For faculty and administrators: learn how to launch a CDA program at your high school
• For faculty and administrators: pre-order the Child Development Associate® (CDA) Handbook for High School: A Guide to Advocacy and Implementation
• For students: learn the benefits of earning a CDA during high school
• Learn about state career and technical education programs

3. Advanced Career

Who is this pathway designed for?

• Current or prospective Professional Development Specialists
• Current or prospective Gold Standard Specialists

What can I find in this pathway?

• Log into YourCouncil
• Learn how to become a Professional Development Specialist (PDS)
• Learn how to become a Gold Standard Specialist (GSS)
• Find PDS resources and more

4. Partnering Organizations

Who is this pathway designed for?

• Prospective organizational partners

What can I find in this pathway?

• Learn how to partner with the Council for Professional Recognition
• Learn how to join the Council Alumni Network (CAN)
• Learn how to apply to become a Gold Standard organization

5. Government Administrators

Who is this pathway designed for?

• Government staff, aides and policymakers (federal, state and local)
• Media/journalists
• Researchers

What can I find in this pathway?

• Learn how the Council for Professional Recognition collaborates with government decision-makers on local, state and national levels
• Visit the Council for Professional Recognition’s media room to access fact sheets and press releases
• Download forms and more

6. Parents & Families

Who is this pathway designed for?

• Parents/guardians of children age birth to five
• Parents/guardians of prospective high school ECE/CDA students

What can I find in this pathway?

• Learn why CDA-certified educators are equipped to provide the highest level of care for children age birth to five
• Discover blogs and resources on child development for children age birth to five
• Learn how high school students can apply for the CDA

7. Our Community

Who is this pathway designed for?

• Current or prospective Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™ holders
• Early childhood educators
• Early childhood directors and administrators
• Education advocates
• Individuals who seek to support early childhood education in their local communities

What can I find in this pathway?

• Learn how to join the Council Alumni Network (CAN)
• Discover ECE testimonial stories about the power of the CDA
• Learn about the National Certification for ECE Lead Teachers Feasibility Study

What else do I need to know about the new website?

The new website is designed to provide a streamlined, intuitive user experience for all website visitors. However, we realize that it can take a few days to adjust to a new interface. So, if you find yourself wondering where to find a page, we invite you to use our search button located on the home page:

The pathways menu also includes a link to information about our annual EELC conference, coming soon in October 2021.

We look forward to hearing your feedback on the new website! If you have any questions, feedback or concerns, please contact us at cdafeedback@cdacouncil.org.