Adam Shapiro
Adam.Shapiro@ASPR.bz
202-427-3603
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The youngest people in the Show Me State will soon benefit from a unique collaboration between the Council for Professional Recognition and Child Care Aware® of Missouri; the initiative aims to have over 800 early childhood educators in Missouri working toward their Child Development Associate Credential™ (CDA) in 2020. Right now, over 10,000 educators hold CDAs in the state. Full details about the scholarships are at mo.childcareaware.org/cda-scholarship-project/.
The Council’s CDA is recognized as the standard global competency in the early childhood education space. The Council and Child Care Aware® of Missouri believe it’s a vital credential that educators must have to position children for success as they approach kindergarten. The CDA is the only competency-based credential that is portable, as it is globally recognized.
Program leaders say Missouri early childhood educators can earn the CDA at no cost as the application, workbook and other fees will be covered. They can earn the credential through clock hours (training) or credit hours (T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI CDA scholarship).
Childhood educators will benefit from guidance around portfolio creation and each will receive a $380 bonus upon the completion of the CDA and by continuing their work at their current program for six months.
Heather Dunn of Pilot Knob, Mo., is an early childhood educator who was drawn to the profession for a very personal reason and greatly benefited from her college coursework. “Four years ago my family suffered the tragic death of my three-year-old nephew. After his death I had this desire to help other children his age reach important milestones that he never was able to meet,” she recalls. “With each class I grew as a teacher and developed a deeper understanding early childhood education. Without the T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship I would not have reached this achievement. With the momentum and confidence I have gained through the CDA process, I plan to continue on to an associate’s and then a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. Out of my greatest tragedy came my greatest passion.”
“We’re excited to move early childhood education forward in Missouri for educators like Heather and others and to see this effort as we celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Child Development Associate Credential,” says Dr. Valora Washington, CEO of the Council. “The CDA Scholarship Project is based on the tenets of the T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI scholarship. Working together, this project will increase the quality of early childhood through education, compensation and retention of early childhood education professionals. Parents and others can be confident that child care providers who have a CDA credential have been certified as having mastered the skills and attained the knowledge necessary to support a child’s emotional, physical, intellectual, and social development.”
The Missouri Department of Social Services, Children’s Division is financing the scholarship project through federal funds.
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 zero to 5 years old. The Council recognizes and credentials professionals who work in all types of early care and education settings including center-based, preschool/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 awarded around the world. For more information, visit www.cdacouncil.org.
ABOUT CHILD CARE AWARE® OF MISSOURI
Child Care Aware® of Missouri believes that the first two-thousand days of a child’s life make a difference. Child care is the backbone of Missouri’s economy—ensuring families can work and businesses are productive. Child Care Aware® of Missouri serves over 17,000 families and 3,900 child care programs (employing over 35,000 Missouri taxpayers) annually. We deliver services directly and through a statewide network of partnerships. For more than 20 years, Child Care Aware® of Missouri has ensured that Missouri communities and families have the information they need to find quality, affordable child care; community partners are aware of child care resources and services; policymakers have the information necessary to make good decisions about child care issues; and child care businesses and staff have the training and education to develop professionally and provide quality care. For more information, visit www.mo.childcareare.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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