Frequently Asked Questions about the CDA

CDA stands for Child Development Associate Credential. The CDA is a national credential awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition. Lansing Community College does not award the CDA, but many of the Child Development and Early Education courses can be used to complete the 120 clock hours of professional training.

MiRegistry has a Career Pathway on their website which identifies and describes early childhood career opportunities in Michigan.

Yes, there are CDAs for different types of early childhood settings, including preschool, infant-toddler, family child care, and home visitor.

• Have a high school diploma or be a high school junior or senior in an early education/child development Career and Technical Program
• Any time before you apply: Complete 120 clock hours of professional education covering the eight CDA Subject Areas
• Within 3 years before you apply: Obtain 480 hours of experience working with young children
• Within 6 months before you apply: Prepare a CDA Professional Portfolio according to the requirements outlined in the CDA Competency Standards book

No, the only requirement that the LCC Child Development and Early Education program can help with is the 120 clock hours of professional training. All of the other requirements are completed by the CDA candidate on their own.

Yes, overall candidates need 120 clock hours of professional training, but within the 120 hours candidates need to complete at least 10 hours in eight Subject Areas. The CDA Subject Areas are:

• Planning a safe and healthy learning environment
• Advancing children’s physical and intellectual development
• Supporting children’s social and emotional development
• Building productive relationships with families
• Managing an effective program operation
• Maintaining a commitment to professionalism
• Observing and recording children’s behavior
• Understanding the principles of child development and learning

It depends on which CDA (infant-toddler or preschool) you are applying for, and if you have already taken early childhood college courses or completed hours of professional training.

All of the Child Development and Early Education courses at LCC can be used to complete the 120 clock hours of professional training for the Infant Toddler CDA, but here are some suggested courses that fulfill the 120 clock hours and the 10 hours in each of the eight Subject Areas.

• CHDV 100 Foundations Early Childhood Ed
• CHDV 101 Child Growth/Development
• CHDV 129 Caring for our Youngest Learners
• CHDV 132 Leadership Early Childhood Education

All of the Child Development and Early Education courses at LCC can be used to complete the 120 clock hours of professional training for the Preschool CDA, but here are some suggested courses that fulfil the 120 clock hours and the 10 hours in each of the eight Subject Areas.

• CHDV 100 Foundations Early Childhood Ed
• CHDV 101 Child Growth/Development
• CHDV 122 Creativity and Play
• CHDV 132 Leadership Early Childhood Education

Yes, all of the recommended courses are offered asynchronously online.

If you already have earned college credits that can be used toward the 120 clock hours of professional training, contact Tricia McKay, Program Director at mckay6@lcc.edu or 517-483-1972, for program advising. Tricia will work with you to determine which courses you should take.

The CDA can typically be completed in 12-18 months, but it can vary for each candidate depending on how many courses/credits they take in a semester and how quickly they can complete all of the requirements.

There are several costs to consider for the CDA. The cost for an initial CDA credential application is $525 for online submissions and $600 for paper applications. Renewal fees are $250 online and $300 for paper. These non-refundable fees are paid to the Council for Professional Recognition and must be paid in full at the time of application. Then there are the LCC tuition costs for the 120 clock hours of professional training. You can use LCC’s tuition estimator to get an idea of what the tuition cost would be to complete the Child Development and Early Education courses for the CDA.

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Michigan Scholarship Program offers a CDA Assessment/Renewal Scholarship.

Yes, the CDA is renewed every three years. You can learn more about the CDA renewal process and requirements on the Council for Professional Recognitions website.

Yes, one of the nice things about the Child Development and Early Education courses at LCC is that they are “stackable”. This means that the courses you may complete for a CDA are some of the same courses that are required for the Associate in Applied Arts degree in Child Development and Early Education. This makes it easier to start with earning your CDA and then continue on to complete the Associate Degree.

No, if you have earned an Associate degree you won’t need a CDA. An Associate degree in child development and early education is a higher qualification than a CDA. The MiRegistry Career Pathway is a helpful tool in understanding the qualifications needed to work in the field of early childhood education in Michigan.

• Council for Professional Recognition
• CDA Michigan