Your CDA. Your Oklahoma Classroom. Your Career.
The Child Development Associate® credential is the fastest, most affordable way to move up in Oklahoma early childhood education — a nationally recognized credential that powers Oklahoma’s career ladder, counts toward becoming a director, and can be earned at little to no cost.
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 recognized across Oklahoma’s professional systems, it moves you up the ladder toward more responsibility and more pay, and — through Oklahoma’s Scholars for Excellence program — it may cost you almost nothing to earn.
Here’s exactly what your CDA can do for you in Oklahoma.
Climb Oklahoma’s Professional Development Ladder
Every teacher in a licensed Oklahoma child care center has to earn an Oklahoma Professional Development Ladder (OPDL) certificate within their first 12 months — and your CDA carries serious weight on that ladder. (OAC 340:110-3-284.2)
At the upper rungs (Level 5), your CDA stands in for 12 college credit hours of early childhood/child development coursework. That’s more than a full year of college credit you don’t have to sit through — your CDA does the work, moving you up the ladder and into more advanced teaching personnel status.
Build Toward Director — the Oklahoma Director’s Credential
To run a licensed center in Oklahoma, you need a Bronze (or higher) Oklahoma Director’s Credential. Here’s where your CDA becomes your foundation: at the Bronze level, your CDA substitutes for the early childhood credit-hour requirement (6 ECE/CD credit hours).
Add a short administration course — just 3 credit hours or 40 clock-hours of management training — plus 12 months of experience, and you’ve earned the credential that qualifies you to direct a center.
Good to know: The CDA is your on-ramp to leadership. The top tiers (Gold and Platinum) call for a degree — so think of your CDA as step one toward running your own program, with clear room to grow.
Make Yourself the Hire Centers Want — Reaching for the Stars
Oklahoma’s quality rating system, Reaching for the Stars, recognizes the CDA. Credentialed educators help a program climb the star ratings — and higher star levels can mean stronger funding and a better program.
That makes a CDA-holder more than another applicant. You’re the credentialed staff member who helps a center earn and keep its stars — and that makes you more hireable and better positioned to negotiate.
Earn It for Little to Nothing — Scholars for Excellence
This is Oklahoma’s secret weapon. The Scholars for Excellence in Child Care program — a partnership of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and OKDHS, and the only program of its kind in the country — helps eligible providers earn the CDA at little to no cost.
For those who qualify, Scholars can cover CDA assessment and the coursework leading to it — tuition, fees, and textbooks — and adds mentoring, academic advising, and stipends along the way. (Eligibility requirements apply, including where you work and how many hours.)
In other words: the credential that moves your career forward in Oklahoma may not have to come out of your own pocket.
Why Educators Choose the CDA
- ✔ Nationally recognized and built into Oklahoma’s OPDL and Director’s Credential systems
- ✔ Substitutes for college credit hours — 12 hours on the Professional Development Ladder, plus the early childhood requirement for the Bronze Director’s Credential
- ✔ A foundation for leadership — your first step toward the Oklahoma Director’s Credential
- ✔ Valued in Reaching for the Stars — credentialed staff help your program earn stars
- ✔ Often free to earn through Scholars for Excellence in Child Care
- ✔ No college degree required — 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 Oklahoma recognizes — and a career you can build on.
What Is a CDA Certification? What Are Its Benefits?
A CDA certification is a professional development credential awarded to ECE educators who have met the competency standards set by the Council. It gives qualified professionals the advantage of advancing their career.
It also provides continuous training for educators and helps them become more qualified in the field. Having a Child Development Associate certification serves as recognition that you have the knowledge and skills to nurture the younger generation.
How Is a CDA Certification Earned?
Early childcare professionals who apply for the CDA certification need to complete 120 hours of training, an observation, a written and oral exam, and a resource file. Another 480 hours must be completed working in the field indicated in your application.
As soon as these requirements are complete, submit your application online. Then schedule a verification visit and the CDA exam. The CDA certification is earned after you’ve passed both the exam and the verification visit.
How to Prepare for the Exam
The CDA exam is a crucial step in earning the CDA certification — you have to pass it to earn the credential. We at National CDA Training are here to give you a helping hand to pass the test. At NCDAT, you’ll prepare for the exam in an easy and fun way. We offer unique and innovative child care development online courses that teach you to apply what you’ve learned from books to real life.
National CDA Training uses a scenario-based training approach — an act of “learning by doing” that has been scientifically proven effective. This approach mentally practices you to react quickly to any classroom situation. The more you do it, the calmer and more confident you become in what you do.
If you’re an ECE professional looking for advancement in your career, you’ve come to the right place. Our course at National CDA Training doesn’t just help you move your career forward — it will even make you love your profession more. When you’re ready, you’ll be set to earn your CDA credential in Oklahoma.
Ready to Open These Doors?
Start leveling up your career today — start your journey with us! Start your CDA today with National CDA Training!
Roles and requirements reflect Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) child care licensing standards, the Oklahoma Professional Development Ladder, and the Oklahoma Director’s Credential. A CDA must remain valid (non-expired) to qualify for any role. Scholarship availability and terms through Scholars for Excellence in Child Care depend on eligibility. Always confirm current requirements with your employer, OKDHS Child Care Services, and CECPD, as regulations can change.