D.C.'s Ethiopian Early Educators Receive Their CDA Credentials

Residents of Ethiopian descent in the greater Washington, D.C.-region have a new reason for pride: 29 early childhood educators in the community have become the first to earn the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™ in their native language.

The Council for Professional Recognition’s CDA is recognized as the standard global competency in early childhood education. The Council believes 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 is portable, as it’s globally recognized.

The accomplishment means these D.C. early childhood educators earned their CDA in their native Amharic language; the nation’s capital region is home to the largest Ethiopian population in the U.S.

D.C.’s CentroNía spearheaded the initiative; it’s an award-winning educational organization that provides: affordable, quality early childhood education; professional development to educators; and family support services in a bilingual and multicultural environment to thousands of underserved children and families.

Dr. Valora Washington, president of the Council, says, “This cohort of early childhood educators joins 800,000 others who have a CDA credential and have been certified as mastering the skills and attained the knowledge necessary to support a child’s emotional, physical, intellectual and social development. The Council requires a deep commitment from CDA candidates — including 120 hours of training and 480 hours of supervised classroom experience — ensuring that educators are providing children with a strong and safe learning environment. Congratulations to this wonderful group of educators and to the CentroNía’s Child Development Associate Training Program.”