CDA credential in Tennessee: full requirements and how to apply

Last updated 2026-07-09

What is the CDA credential and why does Tennessee care about it?

The Child Development Associate (CDA) is a nationally recognized credential issued by the Council for Professional Recognition. It certifies that a caregiver has met a defined standard of knowledge and skill across eight core competency areas, from safe environments to family communication. The Council has issued more than 700,000 CDA credentials since the program launched in 1975 ^[1].

Tennessee cares about it for two concrete reasons: state licensing standards and child care subsidy rates.

On the licensing side, Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) rules for licensed child care centers and group homes assign specific educational requirements to lead teachers and directors. A CDA satisfies the minimum credential requirement for a lead teacher in most licensed Tennessee programs ^[2]. Without it, a staff member may be counted toward ratios but cannot hold a lead teacher role at many centers.

On the money side, Tennessee participates in the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), and the state's quality rating system (Tennessee Star-Quality Child Care Program) rewards programs whose staff hold credentials like the CDA with higher star ratings ^[11]. Higher star ratings typically mean higher reimbursement rates from the state when your program serves families receiving childcare subsidy dollars ^[3]. That extra reimbursement can be several dollars per child per day, so the credential pays for itself fast in a busy program.

What are the exact CDA eligibility requirements in Tennessee?

The requirements come from the Council for Professional Recognition, which sets them nationally. Tennessee does not create its own separate CDA eligibility rules, but the state's training infrastructure (TECTA) is shaped to help candidates meet the Council's standards.

Here is what you need before you apply:

Education: A high school diploma or GED. That is the floor. No college degree is required.

Training hours: 120 clock hours of formal child development education. Those hours must cover all eight CDA subject areas: (1) planning a safe environment, (2) advancing physical and intellectual development, (3) supporting social and emotional development, (4) building productive family and program partnerships, (5) ensuring a well-run program, (6) maintaining professionalism, (7) program management (for home-based candidates), and (8) observing and recording children's behavior ^[4].

Field experience: 480 hours of experience working with children in a group setting. The hours must be with children in the age range you are applying for: infant/toddler, preschool, family child care, or home visitor.

Current employment or field placement: You must be working with children or in a supervised field placement at the time you apply.

Professional portfolio: A collection of documentation including a Family Questionnaire (completed by six families whose children you serve), a Resource Collection of professional references and educational materials, and a Reflective Competency Statements document where you describe your own practice.

CDA Exam: A computer-based, 65-question exam administered at Pearson VUE testing centers. Tennessee has Pearson VUE locations in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and several smaller cities ^[5].

The application fee is $425 for first-time applicants and $150 for renewal (every three years) ^[4].

How does Tennessee's TECTA system help you earn the 120 training hours?

TECTA stands for Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance. It is the state's centralized professional development registry and training coordination system, managed through East Tennessee State University's Niswonger College of Human Sciences and Education ^[6]. Think of it as the one place to track every training hour you complete toward your CDA or any other credential recognized in Tennessee.

When you create a TECTA account, every approved training you complete gets recorded there automatically if the provider reports to the system. That record becomes your transcript, which you can print and attach to your CDA portfolio. Auditors, licensing consultants, and the Council for Professional Recognition all accept a TECTA transcript as documentation.

TECTA also lists free and low-cost training events by county and topic. Tennessee's Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies offer many of those trainings at no charge to licensed providers. The CCR&R network covers all 95 Tennessee counties through regional agencies ^[7]. For candidates in rural parts of the state, online training through the TECTA portal counts toward CDA hours as long as the course is mapped to one of the eight Council competency areas.

A word of honest caution here: not every training on TECTA is pre-mapped to a specific CDA subject area. Check before you register. If a training is not clearly linked to one of the eight areas, you may still be able to count it, but you will need to write a brief explanation in your Reflective Competency Statements naming which area it addresses. Some reviewers accept that. Some push back.

How much does getting a CDA credential cost in Tennessee?

The Council's application fee is $425 ^[4]. That is unavoidable. But the total cost to a Tennessee candidate depends heavily on how they access training.

Cost item	Low-cost path	Higher-cost path
Council application fee	$425	$425
120 training hours	$0 (CCR&R free events + TECTA online)	$200-$600 (community college courses)
CDA Exam (included in fee above)	$0 extra	$0 extra
Portfolio materials	~$20-$40 (printing, binders)	~$20-$40
CDA Professional Development Specialist visit	$0 (included in fee)	$0 (included in fee)
Total range	~$445-$465	~$645-$1,065

Many Tennessee candidates spend close to the low end because the CCR&R system and TECTA free trainings genuinely cover most of the 120 hours at no charge.

If your employer is a licensed child care program participating in Tennessee's Star-Quality system, ask whether they have a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship on file. T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) is a national model funded through Tennessee's CCDF allocation that pays tuition, books, and sometimes travel for child care workers pursuing credentials ^[8]. Tennessee's T.E.A.C.H. program is administered through the CCR&R network. Eligibility requires you to be employed at a licensed program and working a minimum number of hours per week, typically 20 or more.

The childcare tax credit is worth a mention too. If you are paying out of pocket for training and the CDA fee, some of those costs may be deductible as work-related education expenses under IRS rules, though tax situations vary and you should confirm with a tax preparer.

How long does it take to complete the CDA process in Tennessee?

The honest answer is four months to two years, and the variance is mostly about how quickly you accumulate the 480 field hours and 120 training hours.

If you are already working full time in a licensed Tennessee program, you are accruing field hours every week. At 40 hours per week, 480 hours is about 12 weeks of work. But most people do not start counting from day one, so the practical reality is that many candidates take six to twelve months from the point they start intentionally working toward the CDA.

Training hours are usually the bottleneck, not the field hours. If you rely entirely on free TECTA and CCR&R events, you are constrained by the local training calendar. In Nashville or Memphis that calendar is dense. In rural West Tennessee or the Cumberland Plateau, events may be monthly or less frequent. Online TECTA courses cut that constraint down a lot.

Once you submit your application, the Council's current processing timeline is roughly four to six weeks before your exam is scheduled and your Professional Development Specialist visit is arranged ^[4]. Do not quit your current position before that visit is complete. The PD Specialist has to observe you working with children.

Does Tennessee require the CDA for home daycare providers?

No, Tennessee does not require a CDA for a licensed family child care home provider to operate. TDHS licensing rules set a lower floor for family child care homes than for centers ^[2]. A home provider needs a high school diploma or GED and must complete pre-service orientation and ongoing annual training hours, but the CDA is not mandated.

That said, earning the CDA as a home provider is one of the fastest ways to move up the Star-Quality rating scale, and higher stars mean higher reimbursement if you serve CCDF subsidy families. The Council offers a specific Family Child Care (FCC) CDA pathway, which uses the same 120-hour training and 480-hour experience requirements but tailors the portfolio and assessment to a home-based setting ^[4].

For home providers thinking about curriculum and professional development, preschool curriculum choices connect directly to how you document your Competency Statement II (advancing children's intellectual development) in your CDA portfolio. A structured curriculum gives you concrete examples to write about.

How does the CDA credential affect Tennessee's Star-Quality rating?

Tennessee's Star-Quality Child Care Program rates licensed child care programs on a one-to-three star scale (with some pathways allowing higher ratings). Staff credentials are one of the scored categories ^[3].

Staff who hold the CDA or higher earn more points toward a program's star rating than staff without credentials. A program that wants to reach or hold a two-star or three-star rating generally needs a meaningful share of its teaching staff to hold at minimum a CDA. Directors often need an associate's degree or higher to reach three-star status, but CDAs can count for teaching staff at all star levels.

The practical result: if your program receives CCDF reimbursement for low-income families, a higher star rating usually means a higher reimbursement rate per child per day from the state ^[11]. Tennessee TDHS sets those differential rates and updates them periodically, so check the current rate table on the TDHS website rather than relying on any specific number printed here ^[2].

This is also the real reason many center directors push their staff to get the CDA. It is not purely altruistic professional development. One or two more credentialed staff members can tip a program from two stars to three, and the reimbursement difference can outweigh the cost of supporting a few $425 applications.

ChildCareComp's compliance toolkit includes a Tennessee-specific checklist that maps Star-Quality documentation requirements to the staff training records you need to keep, which can help you track who on your team is due for renewal.

What are the CDA application steps, from start to finish?

Here is the sequence as it actually works:

Step 1. Create a TECTA account. Go to tecta.org and register. This is where your Tennessee training transcript lives. Do this on day one, before you start any training, so every completed course gets added to your record.

Step 2. Accumulate your 120 training hours. Use free CCR&R events, TECTA online modules, and if needed, community college early childhood courses. Map every course to one of the eight CDA subject areas as you go. Waiting until the end to sort them is painful.

Step 3. Accumulate your 480 field hours. Keep a log with dates and signatures from your supervisor. The Council provides a field experience verification form on its website ^[4].

Step 4. Build your portfolio. This is the biggest task and the one most people underestimate. The portfolio has three parts: the Family Questionnaire (six families fill out a form rating your practice), the Resource Collection (specific items the Council lists, like a current resume, a CPR card, and materials you've created or gathered), and the Reflective Competency Statements (six written statements where you describe your own work). Budget two to four weeks for the portfolio if you are writing while working full time.

Step 5. Apply on the Council's website and pay the $425 fee. The Council's website is cdacouncil.org ^[4]. You submit the application online, upload your training verification, and schedule your exam.

Step 6. Pass the CDA Exam at a Pearson VUE location. The 65-question exam covers child development knowledge. Study materials are available through the Council.

Step 7. Complete the PD Specialist observation. The Council assigns you a Professional Development Specialist who schedules a visit to observe you working with children and reviews your portfolio in person. The specialist submits their verification to the Council.

Step 8. Receive your credential. Once the Council reviews all materials, they issue the CDA credential. You get a physical certificate and a digital badge.

What training counts toward CDA hours in Tennessee?

The Council accepts training from any "approved" provider, but the definition is fairly broad. Approved training includes:

• Courses from regionally accredited colleges and universities (community college early childhood courses count)
• Training from state-approved professional development providers listed in TECTA
• National organization-sponsored training (NAEYC conferences, Zero to Three workshops, and the like)
• Employer-sponsored training, as long as it is documented and covers CDA content areas
• Online courses, including TECTA modules and Council-approved distance learning

What does not count: on-the-job experience (that goes toward the 480 field hours, not the 120 training hours), purely administrative staff meetings, and safety drills or fire evacuation rehearsals.

Tennessee community colleges are a reliable option if you need a structured path. Colleges like Volunteer State Community College, Nashville State Community College, and others in the Tennessee Board of Regents system offer early childhood education courses that cover CDA content areas and cost roughly $150-$250 per three-credit-hour course for in-state students [note: tuition varies by institution; check current schedules directly]. Those courses also stack toward an associate degree if you want to pursue that later.

For programs using a structured curriculum like Creative Curriculum for Preschool or Frog Street Press, some curriculum publishers offer training mapped to CDA competency areas. Check whether the training provider can give you a certificate that names the specific CDA area covered.

How does the CDA connect to the Tennessee Director's credential and higher degrees?

The CDA is the entry point of a credential ladder in Tennessee, not the ceiling. The state's professional development framework, as tracked in TECTA, uses a five-level scale ^[6]:

• Level 1: High school diploma or GED
• Level 2: CDA credential or comparable
• Level 3: Associate degree in early childhood or child development
• Level 4: Bachelor's degree in early childhood or related field
• Level 5: Master's degree or higher

The Tennessee Infant Toddler Specialist Network and the Tennessee Director's Credential are additional credentials that layer on top of this scale for specific roles.

For the Director's Credential specifically, TDHS requires directors of licensed centers to meet progressively higher education standards as the program's capacity grows ^[2]. A center licensed for 25 or fewer children has a lower director education floor than a center licensed for 100 children. The CDA alone is not enough to run most larger licensed Tennessee programs as director, but it is often the first credential a person earns before pursuing an associate's degree.

The practical advice here: if you are in your first few years in the field, earn the CDA now. The credential has real value on its own, it satisfies Tennessee's lead teacher requirement, and the hours you put into it often transfer as credit or waiver toward your associate's degree coursework.

Are there any Tennessee-specific resources or funding programs for CDA candidates?

Yes, several.

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarships. Tennessee's T.E.A.C.H. program uses CCDF quality improvement funds to pay for tuition, books, and sometimes transportation for early childhood workers pursuing credentials including the CDA. You apply through your regional CCR&R agency. The scholarship typically covers 75-90% of approved costs in exchange for a commitment to stay in your current position for a defined period after completing the credential ^[8].

CCR&R Training Calendars. All 12 regional CCR&R agencies in Tennessee publish free training calendars. Many events are designed to cover CDA subject areas. Contact your regional CCR&R to ask which upcoming trainings are mapped to CDA requirements. A list of regional CCR&Rs is on the TDHS website ^[7].

TECTA Online Modules. Free self-paced modules on tecta.org cover all eight CDA subject areas. These are useful for filling gaps in your 120-hour requirement without waiting for a scheduled event.

NAEYC Membership Discounts. NAEYC offers discounted membership for early childhood educators, and some of their online professional development courses count toward CDA hours ^[10].

Employer Tuition Assistance. Some larger Tennessee child care chains and nonprofits (YMCA, KinderCare, La Petite) have internal education assistance funds. Ask your HR department before paying out of pocket.

For providers thinking about how professional development connects to business growth, understanding childcare subsidy enrollment is worth the time. A higher star rating from credentialed staff directly affects how many subsidy-funded families you can serve at a competitive reimbursement rate. See also the ChildCareComp compliance toolkit if you want a structured way to document staff credentials for Star-Quality audits.

How do I renew my CDA credential in Tennessee?

CDA credentials expire every three years. The Council for Professional Recognition handles all renewals nationally. There is no Tennessee-specific renewal process.

To renew you need:

• 45 clock hours of professional development completed within the three-year credential period
• Current employment working with children (or a field placement)
• A completed renewal application on the Council's website
• A $150 renewal fee ^[4]

The 45 hours do not need to cover all eight CDA subject areas. The Council's renewal requirements are more flexible than the initial credentialing requirements. Tennessee TECTA tracks your continuing education hours, so your transcript is the documentation you submit for renewal.

One thing many people miss: your CDA credential shows a specific age group (infant/toddler, preschool, or family child care). If you change roles and now work with a different age group, you do not renew for the old age group. You apply for a new CDA in the new age group, which means going through the full initial process again, including the portfolio and observation. This catches people off guard, especially in programs where teachers rotate between classrooms.

Frequently asked questions

Is the CDA credential required to work in a Tennessee daycare?

No, the CDA is not required for every worker in a Tennessee licensed program. It is required for staff in a lead teacher role at many licensed child care centers under TDHS rules. Assistants and aides may work without a CDA. Family child care home providers are also not required to hold a CDA to be licensed, though having one increases Star-Quality points and subsidy reimbursement rates.

How much does the CDA credential cost in Tennessee?

The unavoidable cost is the $425 Council for Professional Recognition application fee. Training costs can run from $0 (using free TECTA and CCR&R events) up to $600 or more if you take community college courses. T.E.A.C.H. scholarships, funded through Tennessee's CCDF allocation, can cover most training and sometimes part of the application fee for eligible candidates employed at licensed programs.

How many training hours do I need for the CDA in Tennessee?

You need 120 clock hours of formal child development training covering all eight CDA subject areas set by the Council for Professional Recognition. Tennessee's TECTA system tracks those hours. The 120 training hours are separate from the 480 hours of field experience with children, which is a parallel requirement. Both must be met before you can submit your CDA application.

What is TECTA and how does it help with my CDA?

TECTA (Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance) is Tennessee's professional development registry, managed through East Tennessee State University. It automatically records approved training hours you complete, creating a transcript you attach to your CDA portfolio. TECTA also offers free self-paced online modules mapped to CDA subject areas and lists free local training events through the CCR&R network.

Can I get financial help to pay for the CDA in Tennessee?

Yes. Tennessee's T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Scholarship program uses federal CCDF quality funds to pay tuition, books, and sometimes travel costs for child care workers pursuing the CDA. You apply through your regional Child Care Resource and Referral agency. Eligibility requires working at a licensed Tennessee program, typically 20 or more hours per week. Many CCR&R agencies also offer the training itself at no charge.

Does the CDA count toward Tennessee's Star-Quality rating?

Yes. Tennessee's Star-Quality Child Care Program scores programs partly on staff credentials. Staff holding a CDA earn more credential points than staff without credentials. Those points contribute to a program's overall star rating, and higher star ratings typically mean higher CCDF reimbursement rates per child per day when your program serves subsidy-funded families.

What is the difference between the CDA and the Tennessee Director's Credential?

The CDA is a teaching-level credential recognizing competence in working directly with children. The Tennessee Director's Credential is a separate, role-specific credential for program administrators. Directors of licensed centers must meet separate education requirements set by TDHS that scale with program size, and those requirements typically exceed the CDA level for larger programs. Many directors start with a CDA, then pursue an associate's or bachelor's degree.

How long is the CDA credential valid in Tennessee?

The CDA credential is valid for three years nationally, including in Tennessee. To renew, you complete 45 hours of continuing education during the three-year period, submit a renewal application through the Council for Professional Recognition's website, and pay a $150 renewal fee. TECTA tracks your continuing education hours, making it straightforward to document the 45 hours when renewal time comes.

Can I earn CDA training hours online in Tennessee?

Yes. The Council for Professional Recognition accepts online training as long as it is from an approved provider and covers CDA subject areas. Tennessee's TECTA portal offers free online modules mapped to all eight CDA competency areas. National online providers recognized by the Council also count. Online training is especially helpful for providers in rural Tennessee counties where in-person events are infrequent.

What happens if my CDA expires before I renew it?

If your CDA lapses, you must apply as a first-time candidate again rather than renewing. That means a new $425 fee, a new portfolio, a new exam, and a new PD Specialist observation. The Council does not offer a grace period beyond the three-year expiration date. Set a calendar reminder at the two-and-a-half-year mark so you have time to complete the 45 renewal hours and submit paperwork before the credential expires.

Does Tennessee accept the CDA as equivalent to college coursework for licensing purposes?

TDHS recognizes the CDA as a qualifying credential for lead teacher roles, but it is not treated as equivalent to college semester hours for purposes of director credentialing or meeting higher-level education requirements. Some community colleges in Tennessee offer credit-by-exam or portfolio assessment options that may convert CDA competency work into academic credits, but policies vary by institution. Check with the specific college's early childhood education department.

Can a family child care home provider in Tennessee get the CDA?

Yes. The Council for Professional Recognition offers a specific Family Child Care (FCC) CDA credential. Requirements are the same 120 training hours and 480 field hours, but the portfolio and PD Specialist observation are designed for a home-based setting. Tennessee family child care home providers are not required to hold a CDA for licensing, but it raises Star-Quality rating points and can increase subsidy reimbursement rates.

Where can I take the CDA exam in Tennessee?

The CDA Exam is administered at Pearson VUE testing centers. Tennessee has Pearson VUE locations in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and several other cities. Once you submit your application and pay the $425 fee on the Council for Professional Recognition's website, you schedule your exam directly through Pearson VUE. The 65-question computer-based exam is included in the application fee with no separate testing charge.

What subjects does the CDA exam cover?

The CDA Exam covers child development knowledge across the eight CDA subject areas: safe environments, physical and intellectual development, social and emotional development, family partnerships, program management, professionalism, observation and recording, and (for family child care candidates) home-based program management. The Council publishes a CDA Exam Study Guide on its website. The 65-question format includes multiple choice items based on realistic classroom scenarios.

Sources

1. Council for Professional Recognition, About the CDA: The Council has issued more than 700,000 CDA credentials since the program launched in 1975.
2. Tennessee Department of Human Services, Child Care Licensing: Tennessee TDHS licensing rules set educational requirements for lead teachers and directors in licensed child care centers and group homes, and the CDA satisfies the lead teacher credential requirement.
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care, QRIS resources: State quality rating and improvement systems like Tennessee's Star-Quality program tie staff credentials to star ratings and higher subsidy reimbursement rates.
4. Council for Professional Recognition, CDA Credential Requirements and Fees: CDA requirements include 120 training hours, 480 field hours, a professional portfolio, a 65-question exam, a PD Specialist observation, a $425 first-time application fee, and a $150 renewal fee every three years.
5. Pearson VUE, Test Center Locator: Tennessee has Pearson VUE testing locations in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and several smaller cities where the CDA Exam is administered.
6. East Tennessee State University, Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance (TECTA): TECTA is Tennessee's early childhood professional development registry, managed through East Tennessee State University, and uses a five-level career lattice.
7. Tennessee Department of Human Services, Child Care Resource and Referral: Tennessee's Child Care Resource and Referral network covers all 95 counties through regional agencies that offer free training.
8. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood National Center: T.E.A.C.H. scholarships, funded through CCDF quality improvement allocations, pay tuition, books, and sometimes travel for child care workers pursuing credentials including the CDA, in exchange for a commitment to remain employed at their current program.
9. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Professional Development: NAEYC offers professional development courses and membership benefits that can contribute to CDA training hours.
10. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF): Tennessee participates in the federal CCDF program, which funds childcare subsidies and quality improvement activities including T.E.A.C.H. scholarships.
11. Child Care Aware of America: Child Care Aware publishes data on child care workforce credentials and state-by-state professional development infrastructure.