Birth to Five CDA Course

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Ready to transform your career and make a deeper impact? The Academy at NHSA's new Birth to Five CDA Course prepares you for the Council's new credential that gives you the flexibility to work across the full spectrum of early childhood—from birth through age five.

Review the general CDA course website and this article from The Council.

Start Date: Launching Fall 2025
Course Level: Beginner
Requirements/Prerequisites: N/A - Anyone can take the course. The credential is valid for 3 years. To obtain the credential with The Council, you must have:

• High school diploma/GED or be enrolled in a high school career and technical program.
• Candidates must have at least 480 hours of experience working with children aged birth to five in the past three years. This experience should include at least 160 hours—as a paid employee or volunteer— in each sub-age group within a center-based setting. Sub-Age Groups: Infants (Birth-17 months) and Toddlers (18 months-36 months), and Preschoolers (3–5-year-olds) *Center directors will confirm in the application that candidates have 480 hours of experience, with at least 160 hours in each age group. The CDA candidate should have 100% of these hours completed by the time they apply for the CDA credential with the Council for Professional Recognition.

Course Meeting Times: Only CDA PRO and CORE include coaching sessions announced in the course.
Completion Timeline/Duration: 4 months with access to the course for 6 months.
Head Start Alignment: Includes alignments with Head Start Program Performance Standards and the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework in each module. 

Course Outline

Module Topics:

The CDA Course modules are aligned with the CDA Competency Standards.

1. To establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment
2. To advance physical and intellectual competence
3. To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance
4. To establish positive and productive relationships with families
5. To ensure a well-run, purposeful program that is responsive to participants needs
6. To maintain a commitment to professionalism

Learning Objectives: 

• Learn to work effectively with children and families by understanding and implementing the CDA competency standards in daily work with children in a classroom setting
• Gain a deeper understanding of child development principles and their effective implementation in each learning experience throughout the day
• Identify key elements of management and professionalism in early childhood

Skills this demonstrates:

Teachers complete 120 hours of professional development across eight CDA subject areas, developing expertise in:

• Planning safe and healthy learning environments
• Advancing children's physical and intellectual development
• Supporting social and emotional development
• Building productive relationships with families
• Managing effective programs
• Maintaining commitment to professionalism
• Observing and recording children's behavior
• Understanding principles of child development and learning