The following was accessed on 6/9/26 from: https://sites.google.com/fcps.org/supportstaffwebsite/career-development/child-development-associate-cda
“The Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™ is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education (ECE), and it is a key stepping stone on the path of career advancement in ECE. The CDA® is based on a core set of competency standards that guide early childhood professionals toward becoming qualified educators of young children” (Council for Professional Recognition). According to Maryland’s Blueprint for Education, Teaching Assistants in Maryland Pre-K classrooms will be required to hold a CDA, Associate’s Degree, or higher, by the 2027-28 school year.
To support staff in navigating this requirement, the following resources have been developed and will be distributed via the Support Employee Website and Unified Talent in the coming weeks:
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Achieving the CDA (Register for this Course HERE)
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Paying for the CDA (Register for this Course HERE)
To learn more about the CDA process, please click here.
Questions regarding your tuition benefits? Please click here to be directed to FCPS Human Resources tuition page, and here for their FAQ. All interested participants must complete the Course Approval, if using tuition benefits.