Phone: 203-426-9663
Toll-free within CT:
1-866-568-9663
Fax: 203-426-5395
Email: info@eceti.com

What is the Child Development Associate Credential (CDA)?

A CDA is a credential awarded to an individual who has successfully completed 120 hours of early childhood education during the past 5 years and the CDA Assessment. Candidates must be 18 years of age, hold a high school diploma or GED, have 480 hours of experience working with children or their families within the past 5 years and complete a setting-specific documentation collection (the resource guide). Throughout the process, the CDA candidate demonstrates her/his ability to meet specific needs of children using a child development framework called CDA Competency Goals and Functional Areas. The CDA Credential is awarded based on the Candidate's ability to demonstrate competence during the assessment process. The CDA Credential is one of the minimum requirements of eligibility for head teacher status in the State of CT.

Online CDA coursework and preparation assistance for you to acquire your Child Development Associated Credential

Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity all in one place. Take online coursework to acquire the 120 hours of required education and work personally with a CDA Advisor who will help you customize your Professional Resource Portfolio and prepare for the formal review.

Coursework ONLY: 120 hours as required $295.00

Competency Review and Advisement: $150.00

CDA Observation: (within ECETI geographic area) $225.00 per visit

Please contact The Council for Professional Recognition (cdaonline.org) to obtain a CDA assessment packet applicable to your setting/environment - Family Child Care, Infant/Toddler Center Child Care, or Preschool Center Child Care.

Fees paid to ECETI do not include the cost of your $325 CDA. The fee is paid directly to The Council for Professional Recognition when you submit your Assessment Application.

CCAC Module Training

There are a number of ways to meet the education requirements for CDA including participation in the CT Charts A Course Training Program in Child Development within Connecticut. In 1998, a statewide collaboration between the Children's Fund of CT, the CT Department of Social Services and the Early Childhood Training and Resource Academy launched the Training Program in Child Development to enhance the knowledge and skills of all types of child care providers within Connecticut. CT Charts-A-Course (CCAC) supports the Training by approving the trainers and workshop content, and through a Registry that tracks an individuals training hours and acheivements within a database.

The training is provided in 4 progressive modules of TAB approved workshops. Scholarship money may be available to assist individuals who meet priority group and income eligibility requirements to pay for a CDA Advisor and the CDA Assessment Fee.

ECETI offers the Modules in upper Fairfield County (Greater Danbury), Litchfield County (Greater Torrington) and Northwestern New Haven County (Greater Waterbury) so that training is convenient and easily accessible to the provider. The classes are informal, fun and fast moving. Completing the modules may take up to 1 year. The instruction is competency-based which means the participants will be given classroom instruction and are expected to be able to implement their new knowledge in the classroom. Participants are tested through small group task work, reports and games to show that they have mastered the goals of the workshop.

Upon completion of the training, a provider may earn college credit by successfully completing articulation tests administered through Charter Oak College. Charter Oak will award 3 credits each for passing the articulation tests for Intro to ECE, Early Childhood Developmental Psychology, Infant/Toddler, and Literacy.

Remember, once the educational component is completed, the CDA candidate still needs to meet the remainder of the CDA requirements - observation, assessment, parent questionnaires, resource file preparation, etc. - to obtain his/her Credential.

Check our Modules Workshops for starting dates of the training.