The Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) Program, initiated in 1971, is a national effort to enhance the quality of child care by defining, evaluating and encouraging the competence of child care providers and home visitors. Assessment and credentialing of child care providers is administered by the Council for Professional Recognition ( 2460 16th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20009: 800-424-4310) . Assessment is available to caregivers working in several types of licensed settings; center-based programs serving infants and toddlers and preschool children, family child care programs, and home visitor programs. A CDA Credential is awarded to a person who demonstrates competence in caring for young children by successfully completing the CDA assessment process.

Charter Oak State College does not administer a program leading to the CDA, but it does award college credit to individuals who have earned the Credential.

Under the sponsorship of the Connecticut Charts-a-Course Program, an assessment of the CDA Credential was conducted by Charter Oak Sate College. The assessment team reviewed CDA competency standards, which define the skills needed by providers in specific childcare settings, and recommended that individuals who hold the CDA receive 6 credits toward an undergraduate degree: 3 basic level credits in Introduction to Working With Young Children (equivalent to CDA Prep) and 3 basic level credits in Early Childhood Field Experience (or elective credit). The credit recommendations apply to students who did not earn their CDA through a credit-based program.

These credits are not equivalent to Introduction to Early Childhood Education or Child Growth and Development. Should a student feel they have knowledge in those areas, they should take the Pathways Exams, which Charter Oak developed in collaboration with Connecticut Charts-A-Course. Information on standardized exams and testing is available at Standardized Exams, by phone at 860.832.3822, or by e-mail from mmason@charteroak.edu .