1. Council for Professional Recognition
PRESENTER
Valora Washington, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer

2. Nationally Recognized
The Best 1st Step
Nationally Recognized
Transferable
Competency-based
Talking points
Why CDA®?
CDA® is the only nationally recognized, transferable, and competency-based credential for professionals who work with children birth to 5 in center-based, home-based, and family child care settings.
CDA® makes obtaining a credential within a short amount of time possible for many non-traditional students.
CDA® articulates to Associate degree programs in many community college systems around the country.
CDA® unifies professionals and creates a sense of belonging to an authentic, professional community.

3. Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™
Multi-Language credentialing system designed to assess an educator’s competency in the language of their daily work.
420,000+ early care educators in the United States and other countries.
Articulates to AA and BA degree programs in many community and four-year colleges.
The CDA is the only multi-language credentialing system designed to assess an early educator’s competency in the language of their daily work.
The system has been time tested – It has been in existence for 30 years. Since 1975, the Council has accredited over 400,000 early care educators in all 50 states as well as US territories of Guam, the Virgin Islands, The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and on all Military bases with child care facilities.
And, the CDA articulates to Associate Degree programs in many community college systems around the country.

4. The Child Development Associate® Credential
The CDA brings vision, unity, and professionalism.
The CDA is the only portable, transferable, valid, competency-based, national credential.
The CDA is comprehensive, based on the knowledge of the nation’s leading scholars using multiple sources of evidence.
The CDA articulates to Associate degrees.
The CDA is multi-language.
The terms standards and competencies are closely related and are often used interchangeably. However, standards and competencies generally represent different aspects of the same concept. Standards are a set of expectations or benchmarks conveyed as broad domains (e.g., child development and learning) within each of which associated key elements or competencies are organized into levels of expertise. Standards are frequently used as a guide for accreditation or licensing and tend to describe “the qualifications and credentials needed” to serve in a particular role (Harbin, Rous, & McLean, 2005). Competencies are more detailed descriptions of what one knows and can do—the knowledge, skills, and dispositions educators must master to be effective.

5. Competency Standards # Competency Goals Functional Areas Goal I
To establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment
Safe
Healthy
Learning Environment
Goal II
To advance physical and intellectual competence
Physical
Cognitive
Communication
Creative
Goal III
To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance
Self
Social
Guidance
Goal IV
To establish positive and productive relationships with families
Families
Goal V
To ensure a well-run, purposeful program responsive to participant needs
Program Management
Goal VI
To maintain a commitment to professionalism
Professionalism
For all 4 credentials, there are Six Competency Standards that are used to evaluate an early care educator’s performance with children, families, colleagues, and their community. The standards are universal (that is they apply to Infants, Toddlers, Pre-School and Family Child Care Settings). And, it focuses on all aspects of early child care.
These Six Competency Standards are then defined in more detail in 13 Functional areas which describe the major tasks or functions that an early care educator must complete in order to meet each Competency Standard.
Although Competency Standards are the same for each setting, functional areas will differ based on the setting.
You will need to understand these competency standards and functional areas as you will be reviewing Candidates Portfolios and observing Candidates based on these national competency standards.

6. Competency Goals
I. To establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment
II. To advance physical and intellectual competence
III. To support social and emotional development and provide positive guidance
IV. To establish positive and productive partnerships with families
V. To ensure a well-run, purposeful program that is responsive to participants
VI. To maintain a commitment to professionalism
These Six Competency Standards are then defined in more detail into 13 Functional areas which describe the major tasks or functions that an early care educator must complete in order to meet each Competency Standard.
Although Competency Standards are the same for each setting, functional areas will differ based on the setting
IN ALL FUNCTIONAL AREAS, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR EDUCATORS TO INDIVIDUALIZE THEIR WORK WITH EACH CHILD WHILE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE GROUP.
And, Educators must display cultural competence, supporting children and families of varied cultural groups as well as meeting the UNIQUE needs of children with special needs.
Each Functional Area includes ITEMS that further define it as well as INDICATORS that further define each item.
For the next few slides, I will go into further detail on each Competency Standard, their FUNCTIONAL AREAS and ITEMS.
Keep in mind that these Competency standards are a beautiful dream or goal for the field of early child care.
For the next few slides, I want you to picture a small child that is very dear to you. It may be your own child or someone else’s child. When I describe the competencies in detail, I want you to imagine the competencies that you want an educator to have as if they are taking care of your loved one.

7. CDA® Credential Setting Types CENTER-BASED SETTINGS
FAMILY CHILD CARE
HOME VISITOR +
The Council offers 4 CDA credentials – 2 Center-Based settings
We offer a Pre-school CDA credential for early care educators in a state approved child development center with children ages 3-5 years;
A Center-based state-approved Infant Toddler center for educators caring for children from birth to 3 years;
A Family Child Care credential for educators in a home based setting with children 5 years or younger;
and a Home Visitor CDA credential for educators who work with parents in their home setting, meeting the needs of their young children ages 5 years or younger. In this setting, regular home visits are the primary methods of program delivery.
Ages 3-5 Years
Birth - 3 Years
5 Years or Younger
5 Years or Younger

8. CDA® Credentialing Process “Driven by the Candidate”
Candidate: Preparation
Candidate: CDA® Application
Council:
Approval of
CDA® Application
Candidate &
CDA PD Specialists™:
Review
Observation
Reflection
Candidate
& Pearson VUE:
CDA® Exam
Credentialing
Decision
Here is a Bird’s eye view of the overall process.
The CDA Credentialing process is driven by the Candidate who is responsible for preparing all the necessary materials and applying for chosen credential.

9. Valora Washington CEO Council for Professional Recognition th Street NW, Washington, DC Visit the Council’s Website at
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