[wpseo_breadcrumb]
The CDA Credential is valid for three (3) years.
Based on a review of industry standards, the Council determined that a three‑year renewal cycle ensures early educators remain current with best practices, research, and professional knowledge in early childhood education.
Continuing professional development is essential to maintaining the quality of care and education provided to our nation’s youngest children.
The Council does not provide or endorse training. Candidates are responsible for selecting training entities with expertise in early childhood teacher preparation.
Training may be college credit or non-college credit and must be offered by an eligible training organization. Training provided by individual consultants is not accepted.
To renew, you must provide documented proof of one of the following:
A combination of credit types may be used
Conversion formulas:
Training must be completed through an early childhood training agency with expertise in teacher preparation. Documentation must include:
Acceptable documentation includes
An ECE Reviewer is a qualified early childhood professional who verifies your recent work with children and provides a recommendation for renewal. Qualifications are outlined in the Information for the Early Childhood Education Reviewer booklet.
The Verifier is a staff person within your center/program who has the authority to review and verify your training record. Please click here for a detailed description of the CDA renewal process.
A full overview of the CDA Renewal Process is available on the Council’s website.
Submit your renewal application online at YourCouncil.org.
You may only renew in the same setting in which your CDA Credential was originally awarded.
If you are currently working in a different setting, you must arrange to volunteer in your original credential setting in order to complete the renewal requirements.
To earn a credential in a different setting, you must apply for an initial CDA in that setting.
The Council accepts:
All training must be specific to the age group of the CDA credential being renewed.
No. Training submitted for renewal must match the age group of the CDA Credential being renewed.
Yes, you must upload all required documentation during the application process.
No, certification in First Aid and CPR is not required for CDA renewal.
Most file types are accepted; however, for clarity and ease of review, the Council recommends uploading documents as PDF or JPEG files.
Please note:
To update your name, submit an official Name Change Request:
The renewal application fee for the CDA Credential is $250.
Payment is submitted after the application is completed. The system will not allow payment before all required application sections are finished. Payment can only be submitted online.
You may pay the application fee using:
Note: Sponsoring agencies must have an online agency account in YourCouncil to issue voucher numbers for initial and renewal applications.
A sponsoring or scholarship agency may pay the renewal fee by issuing you a voucher code in YourCouncil, which you can apply at Checkout.
Note: The sponsoring or scholarship agency must have an online agency account in YourCouncil to issue voucher numbers.
Most candidates are automatically renewed upon submission of a complete application and payment.
A percentage of applications are randomly selected for audit before the renewal is awarded to ensure compliance and quality control. If selected, all submitted documentation will be reviewed.
Processing times vary based on application volume and completeness.
No. The renewal fee is a processing fee and is non‑refundable and non-transferable once payment is submitted.
Contact the Council’s Customer Support team at 800-424-4310 to verify or update the email address on file.
To apply online you will need:
If the email address is correct, the request may be blocked by the reviewer’s email security settings. Ask your ECE Reviewer to:
Using a personal email address (such as Gmail or Yahoo) is recommended.
If the email address is correct, the request may be blocked by the reviewer’s email security settings. Ask your Verifier to:
Using a personal email address (such as Gmail or Yahoo) is recommended.
The Council for Professional Recognition is proud to partner with the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) on the inaugural Credit for Prior Learning–Early Childhood Education (CPL-ECE) Cohort, an initiative designed to strengthen pathways...
Did you know the Council for Professional Recognition is a great source for exploring early childhood education trends and finding critical information to support your work? During times of challenge, a key strategy for increasing...
“We can’t just wait for the future we want. We must seize the opportunity to build it,” Susan Gale Perry, Child Care Aware of America CEO said last month on the opening day of “Igniting...
Why should you renew your CDA? Learn what some of our early childhood professionals had to say. For example, Isabel Blair, a family child care provider in New Mexico, has renewed her CDA for 20...
For years, the search for solutions to early childhood education’s workforce challenges has felt like a treasure hunt. Policymakers follow new clues. Advocates debate new frameworks. System leaders chart new routes forward. Each effort is...
Promoting family health and fitness goes far beyond encouraging children to run, play, and eat their vegetables. It is about creating lifelong habits that support physical, emotional, and social well-being, while honoring the diverse cultural...
Download Your New CDA® Sample Exam Questions Now! The Council for Professional Recognition, the organization that administers the CDA® credential, is excited to share the new CDA® sample exam questions. This free resource uses research,...
Ariana’s mother is the last to pick up two-year-old Ariana from the early care and education program late on Friday afternoon. She hugs Ariana and sighs, “I have reached my limits today with Henry still...
For decades, the early childhood education (ECE) field has faced a persistent challenge: the lack of consistent entry-level qualifications. Despite widespread recognition that high-quality early learning experiences are critical to children’s long-term success, the workforce...
Vice President of Product
Mackenzie Pelland serves as Vice President of Product at the Council. In this role, she oversees the Council’s product strategy and portfolio, including credentialing programs, educational publications, professional development resources, and branded merchandise, ensuring offerings are sustainable and responsive to the evolving needs of early childhood educators and the broader early care and education field. Her work focuses on building scalable, user-centered products that strengthen quality and integrity across the Council’s credentialing, educational, and professional learning offerings.
Prior to this role, Mackenzie served as Director of ECE Observation Systems at the Council, where she oversaw the observation portion of the CDA® credentialing assessment process and led the ECE Observation Team. She also worked to support, refine, and strengthen the Professional Development Specialist community to better meet the needs of a diverse CDA® candidate population.
Before joining the Council, Mackenzie was Senior Director of Monitoring and Compliance Systems at Acelero Learning, where she led the development and execution of monitoring systems related to federal grant compliance, child care licensing, health and safety, incident management, and facilities compliance across Head Start programs nationwide. She also previously served as Program Accountability and Policy Implementation Manager at New York City’s Department of Education within the Division of Early Childhood Education.
Mackenzie is recognized as a credentialing specialist by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence. She holds a master’s degree in education policy from Teachers College, Columbia University, a Certificate in Education and Program Evaluation from Georgetown University, and a bachelor’s degree in politics and education from Occidental College.
Vice President of Strategic Alliances
Elisa Shepherd is the Vice President of Strategic Alliances at the Council, where she leads initiatives to advance the Council’s mission and strategic plan through designing, managing, and executing a comprehensive stakeholder relationship strategy.
With over 25 years of experience in early childhood education (ECE), Elisa has dedicated her career to developing impactful programs, professional development opportunities, and public policies that support working families, young children, and ECE staff. Before joining the Council, Elisa held numerous roles within the childcare industry. Most recently, she served as Associate Vice President at The Learning Experience and as Senior Manager at KinderCare Education, where she influenced government affairs and public policies across 40 states.
Elisa’s commitment to leadership is reflected in her external roles on the Early Care and Education Consortium Board of Directors, the Florida Chamber Foundation Board of Trustees, and as the DEI Caucus Leader for KinderCare Education. She has been recognized as an Emerging Leader in Early Childhood by Childcare Exchange’s Leadership Initiative.
Elisa earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a focus on child development from Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
Janie Payne is the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the Council for Professional Recognition. Janie is responsible for envisioning, developing, and executing initiatives that strategically manage talent and culture to align people strategies with the overarching business vision of the Council. Janie is responsible for driving organizational excellence through strategic talent practices, orchestrating workforce planning, talent acquisition, performance management as well as a myriad of other Human Resources Programs. She is accountable for driving effectiveness by shaping organizational structure for optimal efficiency. Janie oversees strategies that foster a healthy culture to include embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the organization.
In Janie’s prior role, she was the Vice President of Administration at Equal Justice Works, where she was responsible for leading human resources, financial operations, facilities management, and information technology. She was also accountable for developing and implementing Equal Justice Works Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy focused on attracting diverse, mission-oriented talent and creating an inclusive and equitable workplace environment. With more than fifteen years of private, federal, and not-for-profit experience, Janie is known for her intuitive skill in administration management, human resources management, designing and leading complex system change, diversity and inclusion, and social justice reform efforts.
Before joining Equal Justice Works, Janie was the Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer for Global Communities, where she was responsible for the design, implementation, and management of integrated HR and diversity strategies. Her work impacted employees in over twenty-two countries. She was responsible for the effective management of different cultural, legal, regulatory, and economic systems for both domestic and international employees. Prior to Global Communities, Janie enjoyed a ten-year career with the federal government. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, she held key strategic human resources positions with multiple cabinet-level agencies and served as an advisor and senior coach to leaders across the federal sector. In these roles, she received recognition from management, industry publications, peers, and staff for driving the creation and execution of programs that created an engaged and productive workforce.
Janie began her career with Verizon Communications (formerly Bell Atlantic), where she held numerous roles of increasing responsibility, where she directed a diversity program that resulted in significant improvement in diversity profile measures. Janie was also a faculty member for the company’s Black Managers Workshop, a training program designed to provide managers of color with the skills needed to overcome barriers to their success that were encountered because of race. She initiated a company-wide effort to establish team-based systems and structures to impact corporate bottom line results which was recognized by the Department of Labor. Janie was one of the first African American women to be featured on the cover of Human Resources Executive magazine.
Janie received her M.A. in Organization Development from American University. She holds numerous professional development certificates in Human Capital Management and Change Management, including a Diversity and Inclusion in Human Resources certificate from Cornell University. She completed the year-long Maryland Equity and Inclusion Leadership Program sponsored by The Schaefer Center for Public Policy and The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. She is a trained mediator and Certified Professional Coach. She is a graduate of Leadership America, former board chair of the NTL Institute and currently co-steward of the organization’s social justice community of practice, and a member of The Society for Human Resource Management. Additionally, Janie is the Board Chairperson for the Special Education Citizens Advisory Council for Prince Georges County where she is active in developing partnerships that facilitate discussion between parents, families, educators, community leaders, and the PG County school administration to enhance services for students with disabilities which is her passion. She and her husband Randolph reside in Fort Washington Maryland.
Chief Operations Officer (COO)
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Janice brings more than 20 years of experience in accounting and strategic financial management, with an extensive background spanning global associations, nonprofits, and technology organizations. She most recently served as CFO/COO for a global association advancing women in commercial real estate. Prior to that, she was the CFO at Achieving the Dream, a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting community college success, and Director of Finance at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Controller for two technology companies.
A Maryland-licensed CPA, Janice is deeply engaged in the profession through her service on the AICPA Governing Council and leadership roles with the CFO Leadership Council. In 2025, she was recognized as an AICPA Global Woman to Watch. She holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs & Public Policy from UC San Diego and a B.A. in International Affairs & Economics from The George Washington University, bringing both financial expertise and a global policy perspective to her work.
Janice’s journey is uniquely shaped by global and mission-driven experiences. Before transitioning into accounting, she spent a decade managing refugee programs in the United States and abroad, including roles with the International Rescue Committee and the Maryland Office for Refugees & Asylees. She has also lived and worked internationally in both Japan and Uganda.
Outside of work, Janice is a dedicated endurance athlete who completed a full Ironman triathlon in 2024, bringing the same discipline and determination to her personal pursuits as she does to her professional impact.
Read our monthly e-newsletter and keep up to date on all Council programs and services, as well as the latest news in the world of early care and education. Subscribe today to stay connected with us. You’ll receive timely information on events, webinars, special promotions, and more.
