On May 11, 2011 Debra Pierce presented The CDA Credentialing Process & The Role of ECE Directors. She explained the steps involved in the CDA process, why your center must meet the minimum standards, and how to support your staff and keep the process on track. Many of our session participants were about to begin the CDA process with their staff, and had a lot of questions. We were not able to get to every question during the session, however Debra has kindly answered those questions in writing, and we’ve posted them here on our blog for you.
Q. Can a center-director serve as her teacher’s Advisor?
Answer from Debra Pierce: Yes. The Council allows this. The teacher cannot, however, have her co-worker serve as an Advisor. This would be considered a conflict of interest. Personally, I consider having the center-director serve in this capacity as a conflict of interest, as well. I would much rather see an outside part conduct the Assessment Observation to get an objective look at the candidate and the program environment.
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Q. Is there one CDA that covers ages birth to 5 years?
Answer from Debra Pierce: The only CDA credential that covers all of these ages together is the Family Child Care CDA. The center-based CDA differentiates between infant/toddler (birth through 36 months) and preschool (3 to 5 years).
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Q. When does the 6 month time frame for the candidate’s documentation being valid begin?
Answer from Debra Pierce: The 6 months are counted from the date on the Assessment Observation Instrument and the date on the Parent Questionnaires. The clock stops when the Application is received by the Council.
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Q. Can a state CDA transfer to a national CDA easily?
Answer from Debra Pierce: The training hours taken for the state CDA can be used towards a national CDA, provided they are not more than 5 years old.
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Q. Once a CDA has expired, how much time do you have to renew or do you have to take the courses again?
Answer from Debra Pierce: First of all, you cannot allow the CDA to expire. The renewal must take place before that happens. A first renewal must be within 3 years of being awarded the CDA. Subsequent renewals must be every 5 years. The Council does provide a grace period to the renewals, but I never tell people about that, because it just perpetuates procrastination. If a CDA misses the renewal date and passes the grace period, it becomes worthless. At that point, the entire process will need to be repeated, including the training hours.
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Q. How do I empower my staff to get a CDA?
Answer from Debra Pierce: Some suggestions include inviting someone who has already successfully gone through the process or a CDA trainer to talk about it. This can alleviate misconceptions and worry. You may also consider offering an incentive to your staff if they decide to do this.
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Q. Would child development courses be taken into consideration for the 120 clock hours of training.
Answer from Debra Pierce: Absolutely. Typically, these types of course would easily align with several of the Council’s required subject areas. Remember, however, that these course would need to be taken within 5 years of applying for a CDA.
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Q. Would a CDA give you any college credit?
Answer from Debra Pierce: This would depend on the particular institution. At our college, if a student enrolls with a valid CDA, we will apply 6 credits toward an associate degree, representing 2 courses.
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Q. How do you organize your resources for the Professional Resource File?
Answer from Debra Pierce: The Council does not specify any one method for doing this and is very vague with the instructions they provide. As a result, I have seen resources in cardboard boxes, envelopes, and even a Walmart bag. I prefer a 2” binder for the file because it is portable, it keeps all the resources in order, and is very easy for the Council Representative to review. We instruct our students to use labeled page protectors to hold the collected resources. I provide step-by-step instructions for this assembly in The CDA Prep Guide, as well as clarification about exactly what the Council is expecting for each of the listed resources. As I mentioned in the webinar, I also provide a pre-assembled binder on my website, with labeled dividers and page protectors. The candidate is able to choose from 8 different cover designs, which will be personalized with name and CDA setting. The cost of these binders is just about the same as you would spend for all the materials needed to assemble your own.
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Q. How long does it take to get a response after the Verification Visit?
Answer from Debra Pierce: Candidates will usually receive a response within a few weeks, depending on the volume of evaluations at that particular time.
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Q. What are the qualifications for being a CDA Advisor?
Answer from Debra Pierce: The minimum level of qualifications for a CDA Advisor includes having a valid CDA, experience working with young children, and experience supervising adults.
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Q. How does one check to see if training is accepted by the Council?
Answer from Debra Pierce: You can make a phone call and ask. Suggested persons to ask at the Council would include Vilma Williams, Kathy Ruby, or Deborah Jordan. If in doubt about a particular training, it is best to ask before paying for it!
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Q. Is it possible to search for a particular topic on my blog?
Answer from Debra Pierce: Unfortunately, there is no easy way to search for topics. On the upside, however, reading through the questions and responses will be entertaining, educational, and you may find the answer to a question you may not even have considered!
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