Frequently Asked Questions

A CDA is a Child Development Associate credential awarded and operated by The Council for Professional Recognition (www.cdacouncil.org). "Focusing on the skills of early child care and education professionals, the program is designed to provide performance based training, assessment, and credentialing of child care staff, home visitors, and family child care providers. The CDA Program represents a national effort to credential qualified early childhood educators who work with children from birth through age 5."

1. Successful completion of your approved 120 hour coursework ($299.00) **REQUIRED
2. Order Application Package from the CDA Council ($18.00) **REQUIRED
(Contains Resource File instructions, Assessment Observation Instrument instructions and Parent Questionnaire forms)
3. Successful completion of your Resource File. **REQUIRED
4. Complete a formal observation, by an approved advisor who will use the CDA Assessment Observation Instrument. **REQUIRED
5. Parent Opinion Questionnaire forms are to be passed out and completed **REQUIRED
6. Assessment Fee paid to the CDA Council to cover your exams. ($325.00) **REQUIRED (GEORGIANS ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP TO COVER THIS FEE. PLEASE CHECK www.caresolutions.com/docs/scholarships_app.pdf)
7. Written exam by a CDA Council representative **REQUIRED
8. Oral exam by a CDA Council representative **REQUIRED

The complete 120 hour coursework costs $299.00. See above answer for the other costs involved.

You can register on this web site by going to ONLINE CDA REGISTRATION under ONLINE COURSES.

Yes, the $299.00 fee must be paid in full before you can begin. You can pay using a credit or debit card through Paypal, a secure website. Alternate methods of payment (cash or money order) can be arranged.

Typically within 24 to 48 hours depending on weekends/holidays and Paypal approval.

Yes, you will get IACET CEU’s at no additional cost. Click here to see the value of a CEU?

APPROVED BY THE STATE OF GEORGIA WHICH MEANS THAT ALL ENROLLEES IN THE 120 HOUR COURSE ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR A $325.00 SCHOLARSHIP TO COVER THE COST OF THE CDA COUNCIL ASSESSMENT FEE. THERE IS NO SCHOLARSHIP TO COVER THE $299.00 REGISTRATION FEE FOR THE ONLINE COURSE. THERE IS ALSO, IN GEORGIA, A $400.00 INCENTIVES AWARD AND A $1200.00 F I R S T STIMULUS PROGRAM FOR THE FIRST 3400 TEACHERS TO RECEIVE THEIR FIRST EARLY CARE CREDENTIAL.

Yes, you can use the hours of your choice to satisfy the requirements in Georgia and in many other states.

The courses are timed so that a 1 hour course takes approximately 1 hour, 2 hour courses 2 hour, etc. The 120 hour CDA coursework will require 120 hours.

CDA renewal is a 45 hour coursework designed to satisfy the requirements for renewing a currently held CDA. The other requirements are specified at www.cdacouncil.org.

Yes, the individual classes from our CDA coursework are available through this website and are approved by Bright from the Start in Georgia and in many other states.

The cost for taking a 1 hour course is $10.00. Two or more hours can be enrolled at $8.00 per hour. Ten hour packages are available for $69.00.

After you pass each course by achieving a score of 70 or more, you can print your own certificate directly on your own printer.

All classes include IACET CEU’s at no additional cost.