Usma Mohamed
news@cdacouncil.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Council for Professional Recognition, the leader in the credentialing of early childhood educators worldwide, is reimagining the process for earning its Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential. Nearly 1 million early childhood educators have earned a CDA over its 46-year history and the Council’s reimagining initiative will result in strengthened systems and processes to better serve candidates.
Reimagining the CDA Credentialing Process began with the formation and discussions with a Blue-Ribbon Panel, composed of thought leaders in the field. The panel members shared key insights and knowledge that prompted the Council to think more deeply about how to meet the needs of the growing sector, specifically the need for more qualified professional educators who’ve earned CDAs. The idea was solidified through stakeholder feedback which confirmed enhancing the CDA process would be a primary way to achieve the aspiration of increased access to the CDA credential to educators worldwide.
Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., the Council’s CEO, says, “The pandemic has renewed our appreciation of the dedication and hard work of early childhood educators who earn and renew their CDA — I call them superheroes!
“Now is the time to ensure we’re doing all we can to provide candidates an efficient, seamless and hassle-free process. I thank all who participated in this exciting initiative. It’s important because we always want to provide our youngest learners with the best start in life, and that’s why we’re implementing these enhancements. The world needs more of these superheroes who give young children the best possible start in life.”
The initial phases of Reimagining the CDA involve:
“We’re utilizing a design-thinking approach throughout this work. This is an iterative process in which we seek to understand the user, challenge assumptions and redefine problems to identify alternative strategies and solutions that might not be instantly apparent with our initial level of understanding,” says Beth Heeb, the Council’s Vice President of Quality Assurance and Research.
Shannon Rudisill, the Executive Director of the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, served on the Blue-Ribbon Panel. She says, “I commend the Council for its commitment to innovation and ensuring that the CDA process evolves to meet changing conditions and the needs of early educators, so that the CDA remains a vital tool for educator preparation and equitable pathways for teachers.”
BCT Partners, which focuses on design thinking and a people-centered method, serves as a consultant to the Council for the initiative.
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.
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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.
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