Call for Equitable Treatment of Early Childhood Education

The Council for Professional Recognition, the international nonprofit organization that oversees the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™, is calling for responsible closures of early childhood centers along with appropriate funding for early childhood educators severely disrupted by the global coronavirus.

“We advocate for financial assistance for early childhood educators and childcare workers who are losing their income due to program closures. We also appreciate all who continue to serve in support of parents who are emergency responders and essential personnel. K–12 teachers are rightfully still receiving their paychecks during school closures and we call on governments and employers to do all they can to support early childhood education in a similar way. This should apply to all early educators, whether they are in center based, family childcare or home visiting settings,” says Valora Washington, Ph.D., CEO of the Council.

Washington adds, “For 45 years the CDA has been a valued credential earned by early childhood educators. Childcare center owners and operators, parents and others are facing very difficult decisions and we’re here for them.”

The Council recognizes that early childhood educators rank among the highest at risk for infection from the virus. While many states quickly called for school closures, there was too often silence about the need to address programs for youngest children. Many, but not all, governments, such as Massachusetts, later mandated closings of centers and programs and in other locations they’ve voluntarily ceased.

Over 800,000 early childhood educators have earned the Council’s CDA; it’s a vital credential that educators must have to position children for success as they approach kindergarten. The CDA is the only competency-based credential that’s portable, as it’s globally recognized.

The Council provides information about early childhood education best practices on its website at www.cdacouncil.org, on social media and will continue to share additional details. The latest information about coronavirus is at www.coronavirus.gov.