The School of Education offers a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential training program.  Upon successful completion of this program, students/candidates will receive:

• Nine college credits toward an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education and fulfill the candidate’s formal education training requirement to earn the CDA credential.
• CDA guidance to
  • Develop a Professional Resource File
  • Prepare for the CDA written assessment
  • Prepare for the Oral Situational Interview
  • Distribute/collect Parent Opinion Questionnaires

What are the requirements of earning the CDA Credential?

To receive a CDA credential, candidates must have:

• 120 clock hours of formal education training/CDA coursework within the past five years.
• 480 hours of experience working with children within the past five years.
• Documents that verify their competence in early child care and education. These include:
  • A Professional Resource File
  • Parent Opinion Questionnaires
  • The CDA Assessment Observation Instrument
  • An Oral Interview
  • A Written Assessment   

What are the CDA coursework and schedule at Montgomery College ?

CDA coursework includes three education courses which can be completed within two semesters:

Choose one of the following ED courses (3 credits), according to the type of CDA Credential that you want to receive:

What CDA courses should I take if I already earned the 90-Hour Course Certificate?

If you have earned the 90-Hour Course Certificate at Montgomery College within the past four years, you only need to take one of the following classes to meet the CDA education training requirement:

What requirements must I meet before applying to the training program?

Candidates must:

• Be 18 years or older
• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent
• Be currently employed in an child care setting (center-based or
  family day care)

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How do I register for CDA courses?

To register for ED 120 (the first CDA course) please call the Office of Admission, Records, and Registration on any campus;

or see the MC web site for information on applying and registering for classes.

How much do the CDA courses cost?

The tuition for three CDA courses (9 college credits) is about $1,110.  If this is the first time you are taking course at Montgomery College , a $25.00 admission fee is required.

Is financial assistance available to help CDA Candidates?

Child Care Quality Enhancements Scholarships are available through Montgomery County ’s Early Childhood Initiative.  Child care providers can receive scholarships for CDA courses at Montgomery College .  For more information or to receive a scholarship packet, please contact Jody Burghardt at (240) 777-3249.

Candidates who intend to continue on towards an associates degree in Early Childhood may also be eligible for the Child Care Career and Professional Development Fund, Scholarships and Grants for Teacher Education.

Who should I contact to receive or renew the CDA Credentials?

Please contact the CDA Council for Professional Recognition at www.cdacouncil.org or call 1-800-424-4310.

Where should I receive CDA guidance for meeting the CDA requirements?

CDA workshops will be held during the spring and fall semester each year.  The workshop

• Introduces candidates to the CDA assessment process and options;
• Offers guidance in compiling the CDA documentation;
• Provides opportunities for candidates to share their writing with the instructor and other candidates.

The CDA training sessions for Fall 2009 are scheduled as follows:

Session 1       October 2        Friday  12:30 – 2 pm

Session 2    October 9          Friday  12:30 – 2 pm

The training sessions are free and will be held at the Science West Building, Room114 A, Rockville Campus.  Please complete the attached Registration Form.

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