According to the Council for Professional Recognition, you need to complete your Child Development Associate (CDA)™ renewal every three years. Luckily, you can take care of everything you need for your CDA renewal easily and conveniently online with ProSolutions Training. Here's what you need to know to keep your credential active.

Types of CDA Renewals

You can apply for CDA renewal in a number of different specialties. These include CDA renewals for educators who work in family and child care settings, infant and toddler settings, and preschool settings.

Keep in mind you will have to do your CDA renewal training for the same setting and age group as your original CDA. Also, if you have credentials for multiple settings, you have to renew them each separately and only one renewal can be completed online. However, you can submit paper CDA renewal forms for the other credentials.

Courses for CDA Renewal

Typically, to renew your CDA credential, you will need to complete 4.5 continuing education units (CEUs). This is equal to 45 contact hours of study. Another option is to use college credit courses of three hours or more for your renewal. Credit hours are semester long classes offered by two or four-year colleges or universities. CDA coursework can cover topics such as childhood education, childhood development, adult learning, mental health counseling, and many others.

Required Documents for Your CDA Renewal

To complete the CDA renewal process, you need a renewal packet from the Council for Professional Recognition. In addition to the renewal packet, you will also need proof of Red Cross or equivalent first aid training, a letter from your supervisor confirming 80 hours of work experience in the last year, a letter of recommendation from an early childhood education (ECE) reviewer, and proof of membership in a national or local early childhood professional organization.

How to Apply for Your CDA Renewal  

Ideally, you should submit your CDA renewal request at least 90 days before your current CDA credential expires. That means you should start taking the necessary coursework and gathering required documents at least four to six months before your CDA credential’s expiration date.

Once you have everything you need, either fill out the paper application or start the renewal process on the Council for Professional Recognition’s website. The Council suggests submitting online applications two to four weeks before you need the renewal and mailing paper applications four to six weeks before the deadline.

Why Choose ProSolutions Training for Your CDA Renewal

If you want to be able to complete your coursework for your CDA renewal online at your convenience, you should register for online CDA renewal courses with ProSolutions Training. We are a formal partner with the Council for Professional Recognition and the National Workforce Registry Alliance.  

ProSolutions Training has over 100 courses in a broad range of subjects, and most courses are offered in Spanish as well as English. This allows you to choose the courses you need for your renewal and for your personal professional goals. Courses are constantly updated to keep pace with current trends and research so you can rest assured that you are always getting the best, most up-to-date information.

Ready to learn more about CDA renewal? Then, take a look through our course catalog, listen to testimonials from previous clients, or contact us directly. We look forward to helping you through this process.