Minimum Education Requirements
Child care licensing regulations require members of the DC early childhood workforce to meet minimum education requirements based on their position. Effective Dec. 20, 2023, an assistant teacher can meet the education requirement by meeting any one of the following:
- Child Development Associate (CDA); OR
- Associate degree (or higher) in any subject area; OR
- Completion of at least 60 credit hours in any subject area; OR
- State-awarded certificate comparable to a CDA that is approved by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE); OR
- High school diploma or equivalent, provided the individual earns a CDA within two years of their initial date of hire as an assistant teacher at a child development center.
More information on the regulations that outline the education requirement for assistant teachers can be found here.
Programs and Resources
The following is a list of programs and resources available in the Washington, DC area. This list is neither exhaustive nor an indication of endorsement by OSSE.
|
Organization |
Information on CDA Program |
Program Point of Contact |
|---|---|---|
| University of the District of Columbia-Community College | Workforce Development Program |
Crystal Randall |
| Southeast Children’s Fund | CDA Training and Preparation Program |
Kamila Johnson |
| CentroNía | CDA Training and Preparation Program |
Alfredo Monterrey |
| Briya Public Charter School and Mary’s Center | CDA Program |
Mau Castro-Trujillo |
| American University | CDA Program |
Gabrielle Harris |
Online Resources
OSSE offers free Quorum accounts to all staff in licensed child development facilities in DC. Individuals can complete CDA instructional hours online at quorumlearning.com. The Quorum CDA Guidebook can help guide instruction. This is the fastest way to earn your CDA if you are comfortable with online learning.
For information on opening a Quorum account, contact the ECE Help Desk at Ecehelpdesk@dc.gov or (202) 478-5903.
You can track your progress towards earning the CDA through the Quorum CDA Planner, available at quorumlearning.com.