CDA credential in Arkansas: requirements, costs, and how to apply

Last updated 2026-07-10

What is the CDA credential and why does it matter in Arkansas?

The Child Development Associate (CDA) is the most widely recognized entry-level credential in early childhood education in the United States. It is issued by the Council for Professional Recognition, a nonprofit that has awarded more than 500,000 credentials since 1975 ^[1]. In Arkansas it matters for two concrete reasons. It affects your facility's star rating in the Better Beginnings quality rating and improvement system (QRIS), and it affects how much money you get per child when you serve families who use childcare subsidy vouchers.

Arkansas Better Beginnings uses a one-to-five star scale. Lead teachers who hold a CDA push a center or home toward higher star levels, and higher star levels unlock higher Arkansas Child Care Payment Program (CCPP) reimbursement rates ^[2]. That is real money. A center stuck at two stars earns a lower daily rate per subsidized child than a three- or four-star center. The gap compounds across a classroom full of subsidized kids.

For an individual worker, the CDA is often the fastest path to a raise. Arkansas's T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood scholarship covers much of the training cost for eligible workers, and some programs tie a wage supplement to earning the credential. Wondering if the CDA is worth the effort? In Arkansas, yes. The QRIS and the subsidy system both run on staff qualifications, so the credential turns into money in a way it doesn't in every state.

What are the eligibility requirements for the CDA in Arkansas?

The Council for Professional Recognition sets national eligibility rules, and Arkansas adds no extra hurdles on top. To apply you must ^[1]:

• Hold a high school diploma or GED equivalent
• Have at least 480 hours of experience working with children in a group setting within the past five years
• Complete 120 clock hours of approved professional development covering the eight CDA subject areas
• Assemble a professional portfolio

The 480 work hours can come from a licensed daycare center, a family child care home, or a Head Start program. Home-based providers applying for the Family Child Care (FCC) CDA must work in a home setting, not a center, and center staff must work in a center. The Council offers six CDA types: Center-Based (Infant/Toddler and Preschool), Family Child Care, Home Visitor, and bilingual versions. Apply for the type that matches where you actually work.

Age isn't a formal Council requirement. In practice you need to be 18 or older because Arkansas child care licensing requires all employees to be at least 18 ^[3]. The 120 training hours don't have to come before the work hours. Most people knock them out in parallel while working.

What 120 training hours do you need, and where can you get them in Arkansas?

The Council requires 120 clock hours across eight subject areas ^[1]:

1. Planning a safe, healthy learning environment 2. Advancing children's physical and intellectual development 3. Supporting children's social and emotional development 4. Building productive relationships with families 5. Managing an effective program operation 6. Maintaining a commitment to professionalism 7. Observing and recording children's behavior 8. Understanding principles of child development and learning

The Council sets no minimum hours per area, but your plan has to touch all eight. In practice most plans spread hours roughly evenly, around 10 to 20 per subject area.

Your best sources for approved training in Arkansas:

Arkansas Better Beginnings Professional Development Registry. Every hour that counts toward your star rating should be logged here. The registry tracks hours and issues a transcript you can hand to the Council ^[2]. Log each hour as you finish it. Reconstructing two years of training the week you apply is miserable.

Arkansas Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education (DCCECE). The division funds regional training events and works with the Arkansas State University Childhood Services network, which runs workshops across the state and online ^[4].

Community colleges. Arkansas State University-Beebe, University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville, and other two-year schools offer Early Childhood Education courses that count as CDA training hours. Enrolling in a certificate program is one of the cleanest routes to the full 120 because the coursework maps to CDA subject areas and you earn academic credit at the same time.

Online providers. The Council keeps a list of approved online providers. Care Courses, Child Care Education Institute (CCEI), and the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership all offer online CDA training the Council accepts. Confirm any provider is on the Council's approved list before you pay a dime.

T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships. Arkansas's T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood program, administered through the Arkansas Association for the Education of Young Children (ArkAEYC), covers tuition, books, and sometimes travel for eligible workers taking CDA coursework at participating community colleges. Income limits apply and funding is competitive. If you qualify, it can drop your cost to nearly nothing ^[5].

How much does the CDA cost in Arkansas?

The biggest fixed cost is the Council's application fee: $425 for a new CDA, $150 for renewal ^[1]. That fee covers application review, the CDA exam (given at a Pearson VUE testing center or by remote proctoring), and the portfolio verification review.

Everything else depends on how you rack up your 120 training hours:

Training path	Estimated out-of-pocket cost
Community college (AR in-state tuition, no scholarship)	$800 to $1,800
Community college with T.E.A.C.H. scholarship	$0 to $200 (books, fees)
Online self-paced CDA training package	$150 to $400
Professional portfolio binder and materials	$20 to $60
Pearson VUE testing center travel (if not remote)	$0 to $100

Use T.E.A.C.H. and take the community college route, and your realistic out-of-pocket can land under $300 total including the Council fee. Without a scholarship, plan for $600 to $2,300 depending on where you get your hours.

Some Arkansas centers cover the Council fee as a staff benefit, especially centers chasing a higher Better Beginnings star rating. Ask before you pay it yourself.

One cost people forget: if your transcript isn't already in the Better Beginnings registry and sorted by subject area, you can burn hours (and sometimes transcript fees) pulling documentation together at the end. Open the registry account on day one.

How do you actually apply for the CDA?

The application is online through the Council's website at cdacouncil.org. Here's the sequence ^[1]:

Step 1: Create an account and submit your application. Pay the $425 fee. You get access to the Council's digital portfolio system, the CDA Portfolio.

Step 2: Build your professional portfolio. It has six parts: your Family Questionnaires (at least six, from families you serve), your Professional Philosophy Statement, your Resource Collection, your Reflective Competency Statements, your Professional Development Record (the 120 hours), and documentation of your 480 work hours. The Council's Competency Standards book walks through each part. Buy a copy or read it on the Council's site.

Step 3: Schedule your CDA exam. The exam is through Pearson VUE, 65 multiple-choice questions, taken at a testing center or online with remote proctoring. The Council sends an authorization code once your application is accepted. Arkansas testing centers include Little Rock, Fort Smith, Jonesboro, and Fayetteville, among others.

Step 4: Complete your verification visit. A Professional Development Specialist (PDS) observes you working with children and reviews your portfolio. The Council runs a network of PDSs, and you coordinate with the Council to find one near you. In rural Arkansas this takes some scheduling patience.

Step 5: Receive your credential. If everything checks out, the Council issues your CDA. Log it in the Arkansas Better Beginnings registry right away so your employer and DCCECE can see it.

The full process usually runs three to six months once your training hours are done. It can stretch to a year or more if you're doing hours and portfolio work at the same time. Don't rush the portfolio. Reviewers can tell when it was thrown together the night before.

How does the CDA connect to Arkansas Better Beginnings star ratings?

Better Beginnings is Arkansas's QRIS, and it ties teacher qualifications straight to star level ^[2]. Staff qualifications are one of the scored domains. A lead teacher with a CDA scores higher there than a teacher with only the minimum licensing baseline of a high school diploma plus orientation training.

For licensed centers, reaching 3 stars or higher requires that a meaningful share of lead teachers hold at least a CDA or equivalent. The exact thresholds live in the Better Beginnings standards published by DCCECE, available through the Arkansas DCCECE website ^[4].

For Family Child Care homes, the provider's own credential counts directly. An FCC provider who holds a CDA for Family Child Care can often reach 3 stars with that credential plus the required training hours and environment score.

Here's the financial part. Arkansas's CCPP pays higher daily reimbursement to higher-star facilities. A 4-star center earns a rate differential on top of the base rate compared to an unrated or 1-star center ^[2]. For a center serving 30 subsidized children across 250 operating days, that differential can top $20,000 in extra revenue a year. The CDA is one of the cheaper ways to move staff qualifications up and push a star rating higher.

Tracking qualifications and star goals across your whole staff? The ChildCareComp compliance toolkit helps you map which teachers need which credentials and where the training gaps are.

How does the CDA affect Arkansas childcare subsidy reimbursement?

Arkansas's childcare subsidy program is the Child Care Payment Program (CCPP), funded largely through the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) ^[6]. Federal CCDF rules require the state to run a payment system that differentiates reimbursement by quality, which is exactly why Better Beginnings star ratings drive what you get paid per subsidized child.

The federal rule, 45 CFR 98.44, says lead agencies must "establish payment rates for child care services provided under this subchapter that ensure that such services are broadly accessible to eligible families." ^[6] Arkansas carries that out through tiered reimbursement in CCPP tied to Better Beginnings star levels.

Because the CDA raises your star rating (or helps hold it), it indirectly raises your CCPP rate. There's no standalone "CDA bonus" in CCPP. The quality-tiered structure means spending on staff credentials produces a measurable return.

CCPP rates are set periodically by DCCECE and published on the DCCECE website. At the last rate update, the differential between an unrated facility and a 3-star facility for an infant slot ran several dollars per day, which adds up fast across a full infant room. Check Arkansas DCCECE for the current schedule, since these figures move with each new CCDF plan.

For how subsidy works from the family side, see our guide to childcare subsidy.

How do you renew the CDA credential in Arkansas?

The CDA is valid for three years. To renew, you apply through the Council's website and pay the $150 renewal fee ^[1]. Renewal requires:

• 45 hours of continuing education (CE) completed during the current credential period
• A current position working with children
• A current CDA (renew before it expires; if it lapses you may have to reapply from scratch)

Log the 45 CE hours in the Arkansas Better Beginnings registry the same way you logged the original 120. Most providers who stay active in the field hit 45 hours in three years without much extra effort, especially if their center takes part in Better Beginnings and attends required training.

Set a calendar reminder six months before your CDA expiration date. The renewal process is simple, but people lose credentials by forgetting the deadline. A lapsed CDA can drop your center below the staff qualification threshold for its star rating, which can hit subsidy reimbursement during any review period.

Does Arkansas require the CDA for licensing, or is it just for quality ratings?

Under current Arkansas minimum licensing rules, the CDA is not required to operate a licensed child care center or licensed family child care home ^[3]. The minimum staffing bar is lower. Center directors need education and experience credentials that scale with center size (often a CDA or higher, or a degree with child development coursework), and lead teachers must meet annual training hour requirements, but the CDA itself is not mandated for all staff.

Arkansas Code Annotated section 20-78-201 et seq. gives DCCECE authority to set licensing standards, and the specific qualifications live in the Arkansas Child Care Licensing Rules published by DCCECE ^[3]. The director standard for larger centers references credential requirements that often include the CDA or equivalent, so for anyone aiming at a director role, the CDA matters for licensing as well as quality ratings.

The practical reality: because Better Beginnings star ratings move subsidy payments so much, most centers in the subsidy market treat CDA-level credentials as functionally required even when licensing rules technically allow less. Serve any subsidized families and want to stay competitive? The CDA is not optional in any practical sense.

Licensed family child care providers who aren't Better Beginnings-rated and who serve only private-pay families face the least formal pressure. Even then, the credential signals professionalism and can justify higher private-pay rates.

What support resources exist in Arkansas for CDA candidates?

Arkansas has a real support system for CDA candidates, more than many states.

Arkansas State University Childhood Services runs training and technical assistance statewide, including CDA preparation workshops and coaching. It operates regional hubs and can connect you to training events near you ^[4].

Arkansas Association for the Education of Young Children (ArkAEYC) administers T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Arkansas scholarships. Applications come in on a rolling basis subject to funding. ArkAEYC posts current eligibility criteria and the application ^[5].

Better Beginnings Professional Development Registry (part of the wider Better Beginnings system run by DCCECE) is where you build your training profile, log hours, and pull transcripts. It's the central record for all your professional development in Arkansas. Create your account through the DCCECE portal on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website ^[2].

Local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies cover every region of Arkansas. They offer training, technical assistance, and help understanding how your CDA fits your star level. The national Child Care Aware network publishes contact information for the Arkansas CCR&R agencies ^[7].

Pearson VUE testing centers in Arkansas include Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and Jonesboro, among others. Remote proctoring is available if travel is a barrier.

Working on broader curriculum and professional development planning? A solid preschool curriculum pairs well with the child development knowledge you build during CDA training.

How does the CDA compare to other credentials in Arkansas's career lattice?

Arkansas, like most states, has a professional development career lattice that lays out levels of educational attainment for early childhood professionals. The CDA usually sits at Level II or III, above a high school diploma with orientation but below an Associate's or Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education.

A simplified view of where the CDA fits:

Credential level	Typical credential	Better Beginnings impact
Level I	High school diploma + orientation	Meets minimum licensing baseline
Level II	CDA credential	Contributes to 2-3 star ratings
Level III	Associate's degree in ECE	Supports 3-4 star ratings
Level IV	Bachelor's degree in ECE	Supports 4-5 star ratings
Level V	Master's degree in ECE	Director/administrator roles, 5 star

These levels are approximate, and actual Better Beginnings scoring is more nuanced than the table shows. It still illustrates the progression.

For many Arkansas child care workers, the CDA is the right first credential. It's reachable without a multi-year college commitment. It's tied to compensation through QRIS reimbursement. And many community college programs let CDA credit stack toward an Associate's degree. Earn a CDA, then pursue an Associate's in ECE later, and much of your CDA coursework may transfer, so you're not starting over.

Providers who dig into curriculum during CDA training often want to go deeper afterward. Our overview of creative curriculum for preschool covers one of the more widely used systems in Arkansas programs.

What are common mistakes Arkansas CDA candidates make?

These aren't theoretical. They come up over and over.

Not logging hours in the Better Beginnings registry as you go. Reconstructing two years of training from old emails and certificates is miserable. The registry exists to solve exactly this. Use it from day one.

Getting the wrong CDA type. Work in a center with infants and toddlers? You need the Infant/Toddler CDA, not the Preschool CDA. The type has to match your current setting. Apply for the wrong one and your verification observer will look for competencies that don't match what you do all day.

Skimping on the Reflective Competency Statements. This is where most candidates turn in weak work. Each statement should be specific, grounded in real observations of your practice, and tied to the Council's competency standards. Generic lines about loving children don't pass. Write about a real situation, what you did, and what you'd do differently.

Collecting fewer than six Family Questionnaires. Six is the minimum. Hand out eight so you have backup if some families don't return them. Give families plenty of lead time.

Not scheduling the Pearson VUE exam promptly. You have 365 days after your application is accepted to finish the whole process. People assume that's plenty, then scramble to book the exam and the verification visit in the final weeks. Schedule the exam early.

Letting the credential lapse. If your three-year CDA expires, you may have to reapply from scratch. The Council's rules on expired credentials have changed over time, so check the current policy on the Council's website before your renewal window closes.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get a CDA in Arkansas?

Most candidates finish in six to eighteen months. The timeline hinges almost entirely on how fast you complete the 120 training hours. Taking community college courses part-time while working? Figure twelve to eighteen months. If you already have training hours banked in the Better Beginnings registry and an employer who can support a verification visit quickly, the formal application process can wrap in three to four months.

Does Arkansas accept the CDA for center director qualification?

It depends on center size. Arkansas licensing rules set director qualifications that scale with the number of children served. For smaller centers, a CDA plus experience often meets the requirement. Larger centers typically require at least an Associate's or Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education or a related field. Check Arkansas DCCECE's current licensing rules for the thresholds that apply to your center's licensed capacity.

Can I get my CDA online in Arkansas?

Your 120 training hours can be completed entirely online through Council-approved providers. The CDA exam is also available via remote proctoring through Pearson VUE. The one part that can't be remote is the professional verification visit, where a Professional Development Specialist observes you working with children in person. So most of the process is doable online, but the verification visit requires physical presence.

Does the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship cover the CDA application fee?

Arkansas T.E.A.C.H. scholarships cover tuition and books for coursework at participating community colleges. Whether the $425 Council application fee is covered depends on the specific award and funding availability. Some awards include a credential fee component; others don't. Contact ArkAEYC directly when you apply and ask about credential fee coverage in the current funding cycle.

What is the difference between the CDA and an Early Childhood Education degree?

The CDA is a competency-based credential, not an academic degree. It proves you can do the job. An ECE Associate's or Bachelor's degree covers child development theory, research, and practice more broadly. In Arkansas's career lattice and Better Beginnings rating system, a degree carries more weight than a CDA alone. But CDA coursework often transfers toward an Associate's, so earning the CDA first is not wasted effort.

How does the CDA affect my pay in Arkansas?

The CDA doesn't automatically raise your pay, but it often does indirectly. Facilities with higher Better Beginnings star ratings get higher CCPP reimbursement rates, giving employers more revenue to support raises. Arkansas's T.E.A.C.H. program also pairs scholarships with a wage supplement for some recipients once they earn the credential. Ask your director whether your program has a wage scale tied to credentials.

Does Arkansas have a registry where I can verify my CDA is on record?

Yes. The Arkansas Better Beginnings Professional Development Registry, managed by DCCECE, is where you record your CDA after the Council issues it. It's the official state record of your professional qualifications. Employers, Better Beginnings assessors, and DCCECE staff use it to verify staff qualifications during licensing inspections and star-rating assessments.

Can a family child care home provider in Arkansas get a CDA?

Absolutely. The Council offers a Family Child Care CDA specifically for providers who work in a home setting. The eligibility requirements are the same (120 training hours, 480 work hours), but the training must be relevant to family child care practice and the verification visit happens in your home. This CDA type directly supports Better Beginnings star rating for licensed family child care homes.

What happens if my CDA expires in Arkansas?

If your CDA lapses, the Council's current policy may require you to reapply as a new candidate rather than renew, which means the full $425 fee and possibly repeating parts of the process. Your Better Beginnings profile will show the lapse, which can affect your facility's star rating and subsidy reimbursement during any rating review. Set reminders six months before expiration to avoid this.

Is the CDA exam hard?

Most candidates who complete their 120 training hours and work in the field find the exam manageable. It's 65 multiple-choice questions covering the eight CDA subject areas. The Council publishes study materials, and the CDA Competency Standards book is the main study guide. People who struggle usually skipped systematic study or applied for a CDA type that doesn't match their day-to-day work. Study the standards, take practice questions, and you'll be fine.

Do Arkansas licensing inspectors check for the CDA during inspections?

Arkansas DCCECE licensing inspectors verify staff qualifications against licensing rules during inspections. Whether they check specifically for a CDA depends on which positions carry CDA-level requirements under the current rules (often directors of larger centers). They will check training records, orientation completion, and qualifications for all staff. Better Beginnings assessors check credentials more systematically when assigning or reviewing star ratings.

Can I transfer a CDA I earned in another state to Arkansas?

The CDA is a national credential issued by the Council for Professional Recognition, so it's valid in Arkansas with no transfer process. Move to Arkansas with a current CDA and you simply add it to your Arkansas Better Beginnings registry profile. The credential itself doesn't change. What matters is that your CDA type matches the setting where you work in Arkansas.

What's the best way to find a Professional Development Specialist for my CDA verification visit in Arkansas?

After you submit your Council application and pay the fee, the Council's system helps match you with an available PDS. You can also contact Arkansas State University Childhood Services or your regional CCR&R agency, since staff there often know local PDSs and can help with scheduling. In rural areas, allow extra lead time. PDS availability is thinner than in urban centers like Little Rock or Fayetteville.

Sources

1. Council for Professional Recognition, CDA Credential Overview: CDA application fee is $425 for new credential, $150 for renewal; requires 120 training hours and 480 work hours; over 500,000 credentials awarded since 1975
2. Arkansas Department of Human Services, Better Beginnings QRIS: Better Beginnings uses a 1-5 star rating scale; staff qualifications including CDA affect star rating and CCPP subsidy reimbursement rates
3. Arkansas Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education, Child Care Licensing Rules: Arkansas licensing rules set minimum staff qualifications; CDA not universally required for all staff under minimum licensing; directors of larger centers require higher credentials
4. Arkansas State University Childhood Services (via Arkansas State University): ASU Childhood Services provides statewide training, technical assistance, and CDA preparation workshops for Arkansas early childhood professionals
5. National T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood, administered in Arkansas by ArkAEYC: T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Arkansas scholarships cover tuition and books for eligible workers pursuing CDA coursework at participating community colleges
6. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care, Child Care and Development Fund regulations (45 CFR 98.44): 45 CFR 98.44 requires CCDF lead agencies to establish payment rates ensuring broad accessibility; Arkansas implements tiered reimbursement through Better Beginnings star ratings
7. Child Care Aware of America, State Child Care Resource and Referral Network: Child Care Aware publishes contact information for state and local CCR&R agencies including Arkansas regional agencies that provide training and technical assistance
8. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care, CCDF State Profiles: CCDF funds flow to states including Arkansas to support child care subsidies and quality improvement activities including professional development and QRIS