The CIRCLE CDA Training Program was developed by the Texas School Ready Project, part of the Children’s Learning Institute at UTHealth. The goal of the CIRCLE CDA Training Program is to provide all 120 hours of high quality, formal professional development hours to enable early childhood teachers earn the required training hours needed to apply for the Preschool Child Development Associate© (CDA) national credential. Awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition, the CDA is the most recognized credential for early childhood professionals.
This training program provides a new professional development opportunity and career pathway for early childhood teachers. In this training program, teachers will receive all 120 hours of high-quality professional development in the 13 CDA Functional Areas, as well as support to complete the required CDA competency statements and professional portfolio. All CIRCLE CDA professional development, provided through online courses developed by the Children’s Learning Institute, is free to eligible CLI Engage users. Through the CIRCLE CDA Training Program, participants will have the opportunity to complete all 120 hours needed to apply for the CDA, as well as online support in preparing their CDA Professional Portfolio, a required collection of reference materials related to their work.
At this time, the CIRCLE CDA Training Program is available for early childhood professionals interested in applying for the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™ for Center-Based Programs, Preschool Endorsement. Additional information will be available soon for the Infant and Toddler Endorsement.
How Do I Get Started with the CIRCLE CDA Training Program for Preschool?
Review the following resources for additional information about the CIRCLE CDA Training Program. After logging in to CLI Engage, there are additional resources related to the CIRCLE CDA Training Program are available on CLI Engage under the Online Learning and Professional Development section. Look for the CIRCLE CDA Training Program, and a dedicated section for Program Resources.
- Candidate Checklist
- CDA Process Overview
- Competency Goal Guide for Preschool
- CIRCLE CDA Professional Development Alignment for the Preschool CDA
Earn the CDA in High School
While the CIRCLE CDA Training Program was originally developed for early childhood teachers currently working, these resources and materials can also be used to support high school students interested in earning a CDA while still in high school. Review the following resource to learn more about using the CIRCLE CDA Training Program within your high school’s CTE program:
Coming Soon: CIRCLE CDA Training Program for the Infant-Toddler CDA
We are currently developing a new version of the CIRCLE CDA Training Program for the Infant-Toddler CDA Credential. Use the professional development alignment below to start your journey towards the Infant-Toddler CDA using existing online courses on CLI Engage. Note that there are not yet 120 hours available in the alignment, but you can use this information to get started; additional information will be posted soon.
TO ACCESS THE PROGRAM:
- The CIRCLE CDA Training Program requires eligibility for TSR Online. Find out if you are eligible here, and then follow instructions after clicking “Sign Up” at the top right.
- After logging in, you will see the CLI Engage Dashboard. Scroll down until you see the purple bar for “Online Learning & Professional Development.”
- Click the “Full Course Catalog” and then click “CIRCLE CDA Training Program.” Enroll in whichever courses you’d like!