The Council for Professional Recognition

What The Council for Professional Recognition does

The Council for Professional Recognition is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization founded in 1985 to administer the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, the most widely recognized entry-level qualification in early childhood education (ECE) in the United States. The Council operates a multi-source credentialing program that evaluates educators through a Pearson VUE-delivered exam, a professional portfolio, and an in-person verification visit conducted by CDA Professional Development (PD) Specialists using the Council's proprietary R.O.R. Model® (Review-Observe-Reflect). It offers five CDA credential settings (Infant-Toddler, Preschool, Birth to Five, Family Child Care, and Home Visitor) plus the Military School-Age (MSA) credential recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense, and issues digital badges through a Credly integration.

The Council's technology backbone is the YourCouncil online portal, a self-service platform for applications, exam scheduling, PD Specialist matching, and renewal management, supported by an e-commerce Council Store for study materials. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time credential assessment fees ($525 online / $600 paper for initial credentials; $300 online / $250 paper for renewals), printed certificate fees ($30), and content sales, with go-to-market executed through a combination of direct-to-consumer digital acquisition, state workforce registry partnerships (notably the National Workforce Registry Alliance covering 44 states and roughly 2 million ECE workforce members), approved training organizations, and event-driven demand generation (the annual Early Education Leadership Conference).

The Council has issued more than 1 million CDA credentials over the credential's 50-year history and is governed by a board of directors and led by CEO Dr. Calvin Moore, Jr., the first CEO to hold the CDA credential. It operates a 51–100 employee organization with no parent company, subsidiaries, or external private equity backing identified, and runs as an independent 501(c)(3)-style nonprofit under cooperative agreement with the federal government.

Name

The Council for Professional Recognition

Legal name

Council for Professional Recognition

Website

https://cdacouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Council for Professional Recognition is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit founded in 1985 that administers the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, the most widely recognized national qualification for early childhood educators in the U.S., serving individual educators across center-based, family child care, home visitor, and military school-age settings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education Credentialing

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Credentialing, Certification & Registry Services (CDA, state registries, renewals) (EDACAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Training & Credential Compliance Tracking (PD registry alignment) (EDACAKAH), Observation, Documentation & Portfolio Systems (Anecdotal, Checklists, Learning Stories) (EDACAJAD)

Keywords

• Early childhood credentials
• Professional certification programs
• Child development associate
• Educator competency assessment
• Workforce credentialing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. CDA Credential Assessment Fees: The Council's primary revenue stream comes from assessment fees charged to CDA candidates. Initial credential applications are priced at $525 for online submissions and $600 for paper applications. Renewal applications are priced at $300 for online and $250 for paper. These fees cover the assessment process including exam administration through Pearson VUE and verification visits by PD Specialists.
2. Credentialing Materials and Publications: Revenue is generated from the sale of CDA Competency Standards books (color-coded by setting: yellow for Infant-Toddler, green for Preschool, magenta for Birth to Five, blue for Family Child Care, purple for Home Visitor), Essentials for Working with Young Children textbook and workbook, and other educational publications through the Council Store (yourcouncil.org). Value packages bundling multiple books offer savings.
3. Digital Credential Services: A $30 fee is charged for professionally printed CDA credential certificates ordered through the YourCouncil account dashboard after credential award. Digital credentials through Credly are included as part of the initial assessment fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Council for Professional Recognition administers the Child Development Associate (CDA) National Credentialing Program, the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education. Educators earn the CDA through a multi-source assessment process comprising an exam (delivered via Pearson VUE testing centers), a professional portfolio review, and a live verification visit conducted by CDA Professional Development (PD) Specialists using the Council's proprietary R.O.R. Model (Review-Observe-Reflect). Credentials are offered across five educator settings (Infant-Toddler, Preschool, Birth to Five, Family Child Care, and Home Visitor) and the Military School-Age (MSA) Credential, supported by the YourCouncil online portal for applications, the Council Store for competency standards books and study materials, and digital badges issued through Credly.

Product overview

The Council for Professional Recognition administers the Child Development Associate (CDA) National Credentialing Program, a comprehensive credentialing system for early childhood educators. The core offerings include five CDA credential types across different settings (Center-Based Infant-Toddler, Center-Based Preschool, Birth to Five, Family Child Care, and Home Visitor) and the Military School-Age (MSA) Credential for military base staff. Supporting infrastructure includes the YourCouncil web portal for applications and credential management, the CDA Digital Credential system via Credly for digital badges and certificates, and the Professional Development (PD) Specialist Program that trains and deploys assessors who conduct verification visits using the R.O.R. Model (Review-Observe-Reflect). Study materials include the CDA Competency Standards books (color-coded by setting) and the Essentials for Working with Young Children textbook/workbook. Additional resources encompass the Resource Library with 1,400+ items, CounciLINK monthly e-newsletter, and a state-by-state CDA scholarship directory. The Council also maintains a partnership with the National Workforce Registry Alliance (NWRA) for training verification and data exchange with state registries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential - Center-Based Infant-Toddler National credential for educators working with children birth to 36 months in state-approved center-based settings. Requires 120 hours of training, 480 hours of professional experience, completion of a professional portfolio, passing the CDA exam, and a verification visit by a PD Specialist.
• Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential - Center-Based Preschool National credential for educators working with preschool-aged children (3-5 years) in licensed child development centers. Requires 120 hours of training in growth and development of children ages 3 to 5 years, plus portfolio, exam, and verification visit.
• Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential - Birth to Five Comprehensive credential for educators working with children ages birth to 5 years in center-based settings. Covers all sub-age groups including infants, toddlers, and preschoolers through 120 hours of training, portfolio, exam, and verification visit.
• Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential - Family Child Care National credential for family child care home operators working with children ages birth to 5 years. Requires working with at least two unrelated children age 5 or younger in a regulated or unregulated locality, completing training, portfolio, exam, and verification visit.
• Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential - Home Visitor National credential for caseworkers and home visitors who support parents in meeting the needs of young children through regular home-based visits. Designed for established programs of home visits as the primary method of program delivery.
• Military School-Age (MSA) Credential Professional credential for adults working with school-age children and youth on U.S. military bases. Promotes quality service through specific standards, training, and evaluation. Recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense as evidence of high competency in military child development programs.
• CDA Competency Standards Book Detailed guide through the CDA credentialing process and competency requirements. Available in color-coded editions for each credential setting, sold through the Council Store.
• Essentials for Working with Young Children Textbook and workbook designed to help CDA candidates prepare their professional portfolio, study for the CDA exam, and provide classroom resources for early childhood educators.
• CDA Professional Development (PD) Specialist Program Training and certification program for professionals who assess CDA candidates' competencies and facilitate reflective conversations during the verification visit process. PD Specialists use the R.O.R. Model (Review-Observe-Reflect) to evaluate candidate competency.
• Printed CDA Credential Certificate Professionally printed CDA credential certificate, ordered post-award through the YourCouncil dashboard for a $30 fee. Digital certificates and badges are provided at no additional cost through Credly.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million CDA credentials issued to date
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Milestone agreement signed in December 2025 to strengthen collaboration between the Council and NAFCC, representing family child care providers. Prior partnership was described as 'groundbreaking' in July 2024. Partnership supports family child care providers in obtaining and renewing CDA credentials.
• Stanford Center on Early ChildhoodcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 October 2024The Council selected the Stanford Center on Early Childhood to conduct major research into the impact of the CDA credential. This research partnership aims to demonstrate the credential's effectiveness in improving early childhood education outcomes.
• Parents as Teachers National CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 August 2024Partnership to increase the number of early childhood educators earning the Home Visitor CDA credential. Parents as Teachers National Center supports home visiting programs serving families with children from birth to 5 years.
• Latino Child Care Association of MarylandminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 August 2024Partnership to support Spanish-speaking candidates in obtaining Child Development Associate credentials. Addresses language barriers and increases access to credentialing for Latino ECE professionals in Maryland.
• National Workforce Registry Alliance (NWRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NWRA covering 44 state ECE professional registries, reaching more than 1.8 million providers and nearly 2 million workforce members. The partnership enables seamless training verification for CDA candidates, approved Council transcripts for state registries, credential data exchange, and improved connectivity between CDA holders and state support services. Multi-tiered approval system recognizes state registry training approval processes.
• CredlycoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership enabling digital credential and badge issuance. Credly powers the Council's digital credential delivery, allowing CDA earners to access certificates and share verified digital badges on LinkedIn and other professional platforms.
• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for CDA exam delivery at Pearson VUE testing centers nationwide. Candidates schedule exams through Pearson VUE website or phone (866-507-5627) after receiving Ready to Schedule notice from the Council.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): NAEYC is the largest professional organization for early childhood educators and administers program accreditation for ECE centers. It is the organization from which the Council spun off in 1985 and remains a core partner and the most direct comparable for ECE professional recognition services.
• Child Care Aware of America: Child Care Aware of America is a national ECE resource and advocacy organization that partners with the Council on credentialing awareness. It is a broader ECE incumbent that influences the policy and quality framework within which CDA operates.
• National Board for Professional Teaching Standards: National Board certifies accomplished K-12 teachers through a rigorous portfolio and assessment process analogous to the CDA's multi-source methodology. It serves as a structural peer for higher-stakes teacher credentialing beyond early childhood.

Emerging players

• Zero to Three: Zero to Three provides professional development, training, and credentialing for infant-toddler specialists. It is an emerging player with partial overlap in the infant-toddler segment where the Council offers the CDA Infant-Toddler credential.
• American Montessori Society: American Montessori Society issues Montessori educator credentials for early childhood and elementary teachers. It represents a competing pedagogical-specific credentialing body for ECE professionals considering the CDA pathway.

Direct peers

• Council for Exceptional Children: Council for Exceptional Children administers specialized credentials and certifications for special education professionals. It is a direct peer in the education credentialing space, operating a similar professional recognition and certification model for a different teaching specialty.
• National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC): NAFCC provides accreditation specifically for family child care providers, directly overlapping with the Council's Family Child Care CDA credential. The two organizations signed a milestone partnership in December 2025 to formalize collaboration on this shared segment.

Regional players

• National Head Start Association (NHSA): NHSA represents Head Start programs that are major consumers of CDA credentials. While it does not administer a competing credential, it shapes Head Start workforce requirements and influences the demand environment for the Council's services.

Others

• Pearson VUE: Pearson VUE is the Council's testing delivery partner, providing exam administration at testing centers nationwide. As a broad incumbent in computer-based testing services, it is a key infrastructure provider rather than a direct credentialing competitor.
• Credly: Credly is the Council's digital credential and badge platform partner. As a leading digital credentialing infrastructure provider, it is an enabling technology partner rather than a competitive credentialing body.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cdacouncil
• Instagraminstagram.com/cdacouncil
• Xx.com/cdacouncil

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Council for Professional Recognition