Welcome to today’s
Information
Session
Please download
a copy of the
CDA 2.0 Transition Guide
at cdacouncil.org/cda2013
Will be effective as of
June 1, 2013
What is “CDA 2.0 ”?
• The term “CDA 2.0” is the Council’s way of letting the early
childhood community know that the CDA credentialing system
is about to be updated, on June 1, 2013,
streamlining the process and making it
even more valuable as a professional
development experience for Candidates.
• Once the new system goes into effect,
we will stop using the term “2.0” because,
at that point, it will be the one and only Child Development
Associate (CDA) National Credentialing Program™.
Candidate Assessment
• The credentialing system is built upon the the
CDA Competency Goals and Functional Areas
• Every Candidate will be required to:
– collect evidence of competence into the Professional
Portfolio
– compose a Professional Philosophy Statement and six
Reflective Statements of Competence
– be observed working with young children
– participate in a reflective dialogue
– take the CDA Exam
Candidate’s knowledge and competencies will
be determined using two factors:
CDA Exam
• 65-question test of ECE practice knowledge,
taken at a local testing center
Verification
Visit
• Review of Professional Portfolio, transcripts/
certificates, Family Questionnaires
• Direct Observation of competencies
• Reflective Dialogue
Both the CDA Exam and Verification Visit Comprehensive Scoring
Instrument were designed using the CDA Competency Goals and
Functional Areas, which will remain unchanged.
The R. O. R. Model ™
the Candidate
working with
children,
recording
criterion
evidence
Reflect
the contents of
the Portfolio,
transcripts &
Family
Questionnaires
Observe
Review
Components of the Verification Visit that will contribute
to the assessment of Candidate competency
with the
Candidate,
focusing on the
Candidate’s
areas of
strength or
growth
Credentialing Determination
Denial
Award
Upon completion of the Exam, the Candidate’s scores in each of the 13 CDA Functional
Areas will be immediately transmitted to the Council.
Based on their findings from the Verification Visit, the PD Specialist will submit their
Recommended Scores to the Council online.
The Council will then combine the two sets of scores into a final Cumulative
Score which will determine Candidate credentialing. Awarded or denied,
the Candidate will also receive feedback on their strengths and areas of
growth in each of the CDA Functional Areas.
Comparison of the
Current and Future
CDA Credentialing Processes
Step 1: Anytime before Application
Current CDA
Credentialing Process
“CDA 2.0”
Credentialing Process
Minimum of high school
diploma/GED
Minimum of high school
diploma/GED
or
Enrolled in a high school
vocational program
or
Enrolled in a high school
vocational program
120 hours of education in 8
Subject Areas
Step 2: Before Application
Current CDA
Credentialing Process
“CDA 2.0”
Credentialing Process
(within 5 years)
(within 3 years)
120 hours of training in
8 Subject Areas
480 hours of experience
480 hours of experience
Step 3: Within Six Months before Application
Current CDA
Credentialing Process
“CDA 2.0”
Credentialing Process
Observation by CDA Advisor
(chosen by the candidate)
Professional Portfolio
completed by Candidate
Professional Resource File
(PRF) completed by
Candidate
Family Questionnaires (FQ)
gathered by the Candidate
Parent Questionnaires (PQ)
gathered by Candidate
Step 4: Application
Current CDA
Credentialing Process
“CDA 2.0”
Credentialing Process
Candidate sends to the
Council:
Candidate sends to the
Council:
• Application
•Application
•Fee
•Fee
•Transcripts and/or
Certificates of training
•Candidate receives
approval that application is
complete and fee
was processed
Step 5: Council Approval of Completed Application
Current CDA
Credentialing Process
“CDA 2.0”
Credentialing Process
(approval within 3 months)
(approval within 30 days)
Verification Visit conducted by
Council Representative
(assigned by Council):
Verification Visit conducted by
CDA Professional Development
Specialist (chosen by Candidate):
•Early Childhood Studies Review
exam
•Review of PP, FQs,
transcripts/Certificates
•Observation
•Reflective Dialogue
•Oral Interview
•Review of PRF and PQs
•Candidate takes CDA
Exam at a local
PearsonVUE center
Step 6: After Verification Visit
Current CDA
Credentialing Process
“CDA 2.0”
Credentialing Process
Council Representative mails
Verification Visit results to the
Council
Professional Development
Specialist sends Verification
Visit scores to the Council
online
PearsonVue sends exam
scores to the Council online
Step 7: Council awards or denies CDA Credential
The 2013 Transition Plan
• Any Candidate whose application is received by the Council with a
postmark date on or before May 31, 2013 will use the current CDA
Credentialing process. The Candidate will be assigned a Council
Representative who will conduct the Verification Visit, even if that
Visit takes place after June 1. All applications using the current CDA
Credentialing process, that therefore include Verification Visits by
Council Reps, will be completed by August 31, 2013.
• Any Candidate whose application is received by the Council with a
postmark date on or after June 1, 2013 will use the “CDA 2.0”
Credentialing process . The Candidate will need to choose a CDA
Professional Development Specialist to conduct the Verification
Visit and will need to take the CDA Exam at a local
PearsonVUE testing center.
For More Information
Sign Up for the CounciLINK Newsletter
Be sure to keep up with all the news from the Council. CounciLINK, our
monthly newsletter, is
our primary way to provide you with the most current information
you need to succeed! If you
are not yet on our emailing list, please sign up:
www.cdacouncil.org/newsletter.
Email Us
Have other CDA 2.0-related questions or concerns? Please feel free to
contact Richard Cohen, Director of Communications, Partnerships
and New Initiatives, at richardc@cdacouncil.org or Mary LaMantia,
Manager of the CDA Professional Development Specialist
Program, at maryl@cdacouncil.org.