Child Development Associate - CDA Certification

• Child Development Training Consortium - http://www.childdevelopment.org/

• Council for Professional Recognition - http://www.cdacouncil.org/

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) - http://www.naeyc.org/

California Early Childhood Teacher Permits - See option two for California Associate Teacher Permit based on Child Development Associates (CDA) national certification.

• California Childcare Permits Matrix  http://www.childdevelopment.org/spermmat.htm 

• CCTC Child Development Permit Information for California - CL-797

  • HTML Webpage - http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentialinfo/leaflets/cl797.html 

  • Adobe Reader PDF - http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentialinfo/leaflets/cl797.html 

• CCTC Associate Teacher Permit Options

CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE TEACHER PERMIT - CCTC

A Child Development Associate Teacher Permit authorizes the holder to provide service in the care, development, and instruction of children in a child care and development program, and supervise a CDP Assistant, and an aide.

Requirements for the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit
To qualify for the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, applicants must satisfy all of the requirements listed in one of the following options:

Option 1

• Complete a minimum of 12 semester units of course work in early childhood education or child development (excluding field work), including at least one course of at least three semester units in each of the following core areas:

  • Child/human growth and development

  • Child, family, and community, or child and family relations

  • Programs and curriculum

• Complete at least 50 days of experience in an instructional capacity in a child care and development program, working at least three hours per day within the last two years.  This experience must be verified by submitting an original letter from the employer on official letterhead.

• School-Age Emphasis under this option requires that 6 of the 12 semester units in early childhood/child development be in school age course work.

Option 2 

• Possess a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential. (For information on obtaining the CDA credential, contact the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition at 1-800-424-4310.)