Child Development Associate Credential (CDA Training)

This accelerated training is designed for the childcare worker who wants to learn the basic principles of early childhood education. The four courses in this program are about the development of young children and strategies for providing high quality childcare. The following are the four courses  necessary to obtain the CDA credential:

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion,all program requirements student should be able to:

1. Identify appropriate teacher strategies in all thirteen functional areas: safety, health, learning environment, physical, communication, creative, self, social, guidance, families, program management and professionalism
2. Demonstrate understanding of early childhood principles by applying their knowledge through their interactions with children’s activities and demonstrate that they can apply what they have learned in early childhood
3. Demonstrate knowledge about NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Developmentally Appropriate Practices by using effective approaches, strategies, and tool for early education

In addition, you will be guided through each step to the CDA credential, which includes:

• Development of a professional resource guide
• Distribution and collection of Parent Questionnaires
• Identification of an early childhood professional who is eligible to serve as your Professional Development Specialist
• Preparation for the written CDA Assessment
• Preparation for the Oral Situational Review

To enroll in this program, you must:

• Be eighteen years or older
• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent
• Be currently employed, or routinely volunteer, in a state-licensed early childhood setting
• Work with infants/toddlers, pre-school, or family home day care

NOTE: To participate in this program the student needs to be working or be a volunteer in a licensed Child Care Center. The prospective student should be in a position to have accumulated 480 hours working in a supervised setting.

Participants who successfully complete this program are eligible to earn a national recognized professional credential, as well as 9 college credits, applicable toward an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education.

Bilingual Spanish/English CDA Certificate Option

Capital Community College offers a CDA (Child Development Associate) certificate option for those individuals whose native language is Spanish. The purpose of this option is to facilitate students’ transition from Spanish-dominate courses to English. In conjunction with the early childhood courses, students must also take ESL courses.

For more information, contact the CDA Coordinator at 860-906-5243. 

High School Students Now Eligible for CDA

High school students enrolled in Early Childhood Education (ECE) vocational programs may now become candidates for the CDA credential. All eligibility requirements remain the same as for any other candidate. Vocational/technical high school students many now apply who have achieved their 480 hours of work experience through a practicum or laboratory school course and their 120 hours of training through child development courses they have taken.

The CDA Credential is the essential first step of any entry-level ECE professional. Here are the rules:

The CDA candidate:

• Must meet all CDA requirements but does NOT have to be 18
• Must hold a high school diploma, or equivalent, or must be a junior or senior in a high school/vocational program in early education

CDA candidates should contact the CDA Coordinator at 860-906-5243.