Recruit & Retain Early Childhood Educators With a CDA Training Program

I didn’t really consider working in child care a career choice. I was just a young mother looking for a job that would allow me to be close to my own children. I had worked in early education programs before and it seemed like a logical choice—you know, for the time being. Soon after starting as a Pre-K teacher, my director suggested that I pursue a Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential. Little did I know that as I worked through that CDA training program–attending classes, preparing my portfolio, and reflecting on and refining my classroom practices—my life would be set on a dramatically different trajectory.

A Crisis in Early Childhood Education

It is probably no surprise to you that the field of early care and education is in crisis. The field is navigating two dueling realities. On one hand is the increased understanding of the importance of the field to our nation. A robust and accessible system of high-quality early education is essential both for young children’s learning and development and so that their family members can work. On the other hand, the workforce our country leans on to do this incredibly important work is underpaid, undervalued, and quickly disappearing.

Turnover and staff vacancies are nothing new in the world of early education. Even before the pandemic, studies showed annual turnover rates between 26% and 40%.1 Since the pandemic, the problem has only gotten worse.

• A survey conducted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) found that more than half of respondents are experiencing greater difficulties with recruiting and retaining staff than before March 2020.2
• In center-based settings, 80% of programs report a staffing shortage.2
• Public schools are still short nearly 300,000 workers, while day-care centers are down 88,000 employees from pre-pandemic levels.3
• In a survey conducted by Child Care Aware, 79% of states reported a loss of family child care centers.

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A New National Early Care and Education Workforce Center

As states look to create a qualified workforce to care for and educate our youngest learners, providing a realistic pathway for building skills and knowledge is essential. My entry into this field likely mirrors that of many others. Many early childhood professionals are women, many have children of their own, and a significant number live in poverty7. All of these provide barriers to traditional educational pursuits.

Pathways to A Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential

For more than 45 years, the Council for Professional Recognition has provided an alternative credentialing pathway through the CDA credential program. A CDA training program focuses on building the practical skills and knowledge educators need to build nurturing relationships and provide quality environments and educational experiences for young children and their families. Most states recognize the CDA credential as a benchmark of value, and this recognition is reflected in state quality rating and improvement systems.8

Early Learning Pioneers

From Maria Montessori, who revolutionized early learning methods, to Joan Ganz Cooney, one of the founders of the iconic Sesame Street, the impact the following women have had on early learning has spanned generations.

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As we near the end of Women’s History Month, we look forward to continuing to honor the women we discussed all year along—along with countless other women who devote their time and talents to helping children grow in every possible way.