Your CDA. Your Ohio Classroom. Your Career.
The Child Development Associate® credential is the fastest, most affordable way to move up in Ohio early childhood education — it qualifies you to run a center, it’s the credential quality-rated programs need, and Ohio will help fund nearly all of it.
If you love working with young children but a college degree feels out of reach right now, the CDA is built for you. It’s nationally recognized, named directly in Ohio’s child care rules, valued across Step Up to Quality, and backed by real funding through T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Ohio.
Here’s exactly what your CDA can do for you in Ohio.
Become a Center Administrator
In Ohio, your CDA plus two years of early care and education experience qualifies you to be the administrator (director) of a licensed child care center. (OAC 5180:2-12-07)
Your CDA is named directly in Ohio’s rules as a qualifying credential for the top job — the credential that turns your classroom experience into the authority to lead a program.
Be the Credential Step Up to Quality Programs Need
Here’s where the CDA becomes truly valuable. Step Up to Quality (SUTQ) is Ohio’s child care rating system — and because programs serving publicly funded children take part in it, your CDA is a credential employers actively need.
The CDA is recognized under SUTQ as a qualifying credential for lead teachers, helping a program meet the staff-qualification requirements that come with its star rating. That makes you more than another applicant — you’re the credentialed educator who helps a center earn and hold its rating, which makes you more hireable and better positioned to negotiate.
Good to know: The CDA is the foundation. Climbing to Ohio’s top star levels brings in degree requirements — so think of your CDA as the credential that gets your program rated and your career started, with clear room to grow.
And you can start early: In Ohio, a high school junior or senior enrolled in a CDA training program already meets the education requirement to work as a child care staff member — so your CDA can launch your career before you even finish high school.
Run Your Own Family Child Care
Dreaming of your own program? Your CDA qualifies you as a family child care provider under Step Up to Quality, recognized for the quality and professionalism families look for. The CDA is the credential that says you’re ready to run your own home-based program with confidence.
Earn It — Largely Funded — Through T.E.A.C.H. Ohio
Here’s the part that surprises people: in Ohio, you may pay almost nothing for your CDA. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Ohio, administered by OCCRRA and funded statewide by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, helps early educators earn the CDA across all 88 counties.
For those who qualify, T.E.A.C.H. covers the large majority of your tuition and most of your book costs, adds travel and bonus stipends, and reimburses your employer for paid release time — leaving you only a small co-pay. Even better, it’s a stair-step: the credits you earn for your CDA carry forward toward an associate degree, and T.E.A.C.H. participants typically earn a raise each year with very high retention in the field.
In other words: the credential that can make you a director in Ohio may cost you very little to earn. (A short commitment to stay at your sponsoring program applies.)
Why Educators Choose the CDA
- Nationally recognized and named directly in Ohio’s child care rules
- Qualifies you to be a center administrator (director) with two years of experience
- The credential Step Up to Quality programs need — making you an in-demand hire
- Run your own family child care — CDA qualifies you as a provider
- Largely funded through T.E.A.C.H. Ohio, with credits that stack toward a degree
- No college degree required to earn it — faster and more affordable than a two- or four-year degree
Your experience with children is already valuable. The CDA is what turns that experience into a credential Ohio recognizes — and a career you can build on.
Ready to open these doors? Start your CDA today.
What Is a CDA Credential?
Are you an early childcare professional in Ohio looking to up your game in career development? You might want to consider earning a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential. A CDA credential is earned by those who can show competency in several different areas in the field of early childhood education. If you’re worried about whether you can qualify, fret no more — at National CDA Training, we’re here to help you level up your career in Ohio through the CDA Credential.
What Are the Benefits of Becoming a CDA?
The CDA credential is an important element in the careers of early childhood professionals. Beyond being a vital stepping stone that opens doors of opportunity, it also increases your exposure in the field of early childcare. It’s something you can use to move your career forward as you continue to make a positive impact in the lives of young children in Ohio.
Ohio’s Step Up to Quality (SUTQ) Program
Ohio’s Quality Rating and Improvement System is called Step Up to Quality (SUTQ). Programs are rated on a scale of one to five stars, and staff credentials — including the CDA — directly influence a program’s star rating. Higher-rated programs may qualify for enhanced reimbursement rates under Ohio’s Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidy program, meaning a CDA credential can directly increase your center’s revenue per child.
Ohio CCDF funds flow through the state and support subsidized childcare for income-eligible families. For more information about SUTQ requirements for Ohio educators, visit the ODJFS Child Care page.
T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships in Ohio
Ohio offers the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Scholarship Program, which provides financial assistance to childcare workers pursuing credentials and degrees — including the CDA. If you work in an Ohio childcare program and want to earn your CDA at little or no cost, T.E.A.C.H. may cover a significant portion of your training expenses. Contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency in Ohio to learn about your eligibility.
Preparing for the CDA Exam
We use a scenario-based approach that polishes your decision-making skills and responses as you face challenging classroom situations — because you don’t learn by theory, you learn by doing. You’ll apply everything you’ve learned from our child development courses in a fun and exciting learning experience. And because our courses are 100% online, you can train anytime, anywhere, with 24/7 support.
Some of our CDA classes cover:
- Preschool CDA training
- Private online community
- CDA portfolio support
- CDA exam preparation
- Coaching support to help you prepare for renewal
We want to take part in your journey toward becoming a CDA credentialed professional in Ohio. Experience training like no other and take the first step to advance your career.
Roles and requirements reflect Ohio Department of Children and Youth child care licensing rules (OAC 5180:2-12-07 and related sections) and the Step Up to Quality system. A CDA must remain valid (non-expired) to qualify for any role. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Ohio scholarship coverage, eligibility, and commitment terms are set by OCCRRA and its funders and can change. Always confirm current requirements and award details with the Ohio Department of Children and Youth and OCCRRA, as regulations and funding change.