Usma Mohamed
news@cdacouncil.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Council for Professional Recognition, the nonprofit that offers and administers the Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential, is encouraged by reports that President Biden will announce a major early childhood education investment on Wednesday during his speech before a joint session of Congress.
The Council, which says nearly one million early childhood educators have earned a CDA® believes such an investment also should include a commitment to professional credentialing. It points out that educators who earn a CDA have met a set of competency standards, which guide early education professionals as they become qualified teachers of young children.
The Biden-Harris administration’s American Families Plan reportedly will include expanded child-care funding and new budget dollars for universal pre-K instruction.
Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., the CEO of the Council, says “We’re extremely impressed with President Biden’s commitment to early childhood education as part of the American Families Plan. The Council for Professional Recognition is ready to share with policymakers lessons learned from our over 45-year history of encouraging and inspiring early childhood educators to help all children achieve their full potential. Further awareness and support for the Child Development Associate credential is essential to create a full realization of the president’s goals.”
Moore and the Council also are enthusiastic about reported plans that President Biden will announce a free community college initiative as part of the American Families Plan. Many community colleges include earning a CDA as part of their curriculum and the colleges also provide opportunities for further professional development for early childhood educators. The Council sees many opportunities for professional advancement for educators if Congress passes the free community college legislation.
ABOUT THE COUNCIL FOR PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
The Council for Professional Recognition promotes improved performance and recognition of professionals in the early childhood education of children ages birth to 5 years old. The Council recognizes and credentials professionals who work in all types of early care and education settings including Head Start, pre-k, infant-toddler, family childcare, and home visitor programs. As a nonprofit organization, the Council sets policies and procedures for assessment and credentialing. To date, over 800,000 CDA credentials have been issued around the world. For more information, visit www.cdacouncil.org.
Early childhood education is finally getting its time in the spotlight. It’s great to see more and more funding going into programs that will make a difference for thousands of young children and their families....
Early childhood education (ECE) is in the spotlight as never before. Being in the limelight, however, has highlighted the field’s fragmentation and the variability in the quality of children’s formal early learning experiences. This reality...
How would you like to find out about the life of an exceptional educator and the leader of the Council for Professional Recognition? This post recognizes our CEO, Dr. Valora Washington, who has been in...
Welcome to the Council and thank you for checking out our new blog. It is with great excitement that the Council takes the first step in the world of blogging to communicate with all of...
Chief Operations Officer
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer
Jan Bigelow serves as Chief Financial Officer at the Council and has been with the organization since February of 2022.
Jan has more than 30 years in accounting and finance experience, including public accounting, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She has held management-level positions with BDO Seidman, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Communities In Schools, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and American Humane. Since 2003, Jan has worked exclusively in the non-profit sector where she has been a passionate advocate in improving business operations in order to further the mission of her employers.
Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
Read our monthly e-newsletter and keep up to date on all Council programs and services, as well as the latest news in the world of early care and education. Subscribe today to stay connected with us. You’ll receive timely information on events, webinars, special promotions, and more.
