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CDA Prep | Program Planning for Educating Young Children (Birth–5)
A 6-week CDA Prep foundation course for educators working with children birth–8. Covers CDA preparation across all 13 subject areas and includes portfolio supports, manual review of competency statements, and exam prep aligned to Registered Apprenticeship OJT milestones and U.S. DOL progression.
Description
Program Planning for Educating Young Children (Birth–5) is a 6-week CDA Preparation foundation course designed to build practical, job-ready planning skills for early childhood educators. Course content and assignments support competency across all 13 CDA subject areas, strengthening participants’ ability to plan developmentally appropriate learning experiences, support positive child outcomes, engage families, and demonstrate professionalism in daily practice.
Participants complete CDA Professional Portfolio supports, including a CDA-aligned Resource Collection, and submit CDA portal-ready competency statements that receive manual review with individualized feedback to ensure accuracy, completeness, and submission readiness. The course includes structured exam preparation and readiness checkpoints. For Registered Apprenticeship participants, weekly checkpoints align to On-the-Job Learning (OJT) milestones and U.S. DOL progression, connecting classroom learning to verified workplace competencies.
Duration / Schedule
6 weeks
6 weeks
Contact Hours
45 contact hours
45 contact hours
Course Objective
To equip early childhood educators with the skills to plan, implement, and reflect on developmentally appropriate learning experiences for children birth–8, while completing CDA-aligned portfolio components and building readiness for CDA portal submission and exam success.
To equip early childhood educators with the skills to plan, implement, and reflect on developmentally appropriate learning experiences for children birth–8, while completing CDA-aligned portfolio components and building readiness for CDA portal submission and exam success.
Learner Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Plan age-appropriate learning experiences for children birth–8 that support physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional development.
- Use observation and documentation basics to inform planning and adjust instruction to meet individual needs.
- Create developmentally appropriate environments, routines, and guidance strategies that promote safe, healthy learning.
- Strengthen family engagement practices by communicating learning goals and child progress in respectful, culturally responsive ways.
- Demonstrate professionalism through ethical practice, reflective planning, and continuous improvement aligned to CDA expectations.
- Complete CDA-aligned portfolio components and submit CDA-ready written work that meets portal criteria.
CDA Alignment (Subject Areas / Competency)
CDA Prep Foundation — course supports preparation across all 13 CDA subject areas for educators working with children birth–8, with emphasis on developmentally appropriate program planning and implementation.
Resource Collection (CDA Professional Portfolio Support)
Participants will build a Resource Collection that may include:
Participants will build a Resource Collection that may include:
- Planning templates and sample learning activities (birth–8)
- Developmental milestone references and observation tools
- Positive guidance and social-emotional support resources
- Family engagement and communication resources
- Inclusive practices and supports for diverse learners
Competency Statements (CDA Portal-Ready + Manual Review)
Participants complete CDA portal-ready competency statements connected to course learning and workplace practice. All submissions receive manual review with individualized feedback to ensure:
- Alignment to CDA expectations and professional tone
- Specific examples from practice (not generic responses)
- Accuracy, completeness, and formatting ready for CDA portal upload
- Revisions are completed to meet submission standards
Exam Preparation + Apprenticeship OJT / U.S. DOL Progression
Includes structured exam preparation and readiness checkpoints. For Registered Apprenticeship participants, weekly checkpoints align to OJT milestones and U.S. DOL progression to connect coursework to verified workplace competencies, mentor/journey worker feedback, and documented skill progression.
Includes structured exam preparation and readiness checkpoints. For Registered Apprenticeship participants, weekly checkpoints align to OJT milestones and U.S. DOL progression to connect coursework to verified workplace competencies, mentor/journey worker feedback, and documented skill progression.
Prerequisites
Prerequisite / Eligibility Note (choose one)
- No prerequisite to enroll.
- Registered Apprenticeship participation is required for apprenticeship-aligned OJT/DOL progression tracking (and any associated college credit, if applicable).