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The Career Technology Center Scholarship is available for eligible providers enrolling in Early Education: Pathway to CDA coursework. Click on the topic areas below for more information.
What Is Early Education: Pathway to CDA?
Program Benefits
Program Assistance
Pathway Steps to Success
Tuition Scholarship Eligibility
Early Education: Pathway to CDA Coursework
Scholarship Application: Technology Center
Technology Center Scholarship Information Matrix
Pathway Brochure
Frequently Asked Questions
For More Information
What Is Early Education: Pathway to CDA?
Pathway is a comprehensive Child Development Associate (CDA) curriculum that provides 17 units of CDA training and prepares child care providers for the National CDA Credential awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition.*
*Early Education: Pathway to CDA is the only CDA curriculum eligible for a scholarship through technology centers. Other CDA training offered through technology centers is not eligible for the tuition or CDA assessment scholarship.
Program Benefits
Program Assistance
The Scholars for Excellence in Child Care program scholarship staff assists with:
Pathway Steps to Success
Tuition Scholarship Eligibility
To qualify for the Scholars for Excellence in Child Care program, child care providers must:
Note: Due to the availability of education and training funds, employees from federally funded child care programs are not eligible to participate in the scholarship. Additionally, employees from school-age programs are not eligible to participate in the scholarship at this time.
Early Education: Pathway to CDA Coursework
Successful completion of Five Modules of CDA Training*
Module I
Unit 1. Providing for Children’s Health and Safety**
Unit 2. Promoting Good Nutrition
Unit 3. Providing an Environment for Learning
Unit 4. Guiding Children I**
Unit 5. Guiding Children II**
Module II
Unit 6. Caring for Infants, Toddlers, & Two-Year Olds**
Unit 7. Caring for Preschool-Age**
Unit 8. Caring for School-Age
Unit 9. Caring for Children with Special Needs, Gifts and Talents
Module III
Unit 10. Applying Child Development Concepts
Unit 11. Ensuring Developmentally Appropriate Practice
Unit 12. Developing Program Plans
Module IV
Unit 13. Involving Parents and the Community
Unit 14. Maintaining a Recordkeeping System
Unit 15. Preparing for the Roles of the Master Teacher
Unit 16. Developing as an Early Education Professional
Module V
Unit 17. Preparing for Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) includes:
*Scholar may enroll in Units 1-16 in any order. Unit 17 must be taken after all other units are completed.
**Prior Learning Hours may be available for the following Pathway units upon passing the unit quiz. This option is available to child care providers who have previously taken Child Care Careers (CCC) Coursework. Prior Learning Hours are received accordingly: Unit 1 = CCC Health and Safety; Unit 4 and Unit 5 = CCC Behavior and Guidance I & II; and Unit 6 and Unit 7 = CCC Child Development I & II.
Scholarship Application: Technology Center
Director, Assistant Director, Teacher, Assistant Teacher (PDF, 395k)
Family Child Care Home Provider (FCCP) (PDF, 405k)
Technology Center Scholarship Information Matrix
Directors (PDF, 48k)
Teachers (PDF, 48k)
Family Child Care Providers (PDF, 48k)
Pathway Brochure
Early Education: Pathway to CDA Technology Center Brochure (PDF, 375k)
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the CDA candidate have to complete 120 clock hours of training by December 31, 2006, to qualify for the scholarship through the Scholars for Excellence in Child Care?
What is Early Education: Pathway to CDA?
What are some benefits for the students that enroll in the comprehensive CDA curriculum?
What about child care careers?
Will the 50 clock hours of child care career courses transfer into Pathway?
Which child care career courses will be replaced by Early Education: Pathway to CDA?
I have heard about a letter about the Early Education: Pathway to CDA curriculum, what is it?
Who is eligible for a scholarship?
Who will pay the tuition for the scholarship recipients?
Will the scholarship pay for the CDA advisor?
Will off-site training be available for the comprehensive CDA curriculum?
Will the comprehensive CDA curriculum be offered online?
Can you mix the online courses with on-site courses?
Do I need high-speed connection in order to enroll in the online option?I have heard there is an observation component. Is this true?
How will the hands-on activities be documented or graded?
Once I complete the comprehensive CDA curriculum, how do I get my CDA credential?
How is the comprehensive CDA curriculum divided up?
Have the Council for Professional Recognition CDA training requirements changed?
Do I have to complete the comprehensive CDA training in 12-15 months?
Do I have to pass the unit quizzes at 85 percent or higher to successfully complete the unit?
Does the CDA candidate have to complete 120 clock hours of training by December 31, 2006, to qualify for the scholarship through the Scholars for Excellence in Child Care?
No, a scholar does not have to complete the training by December 31, 2006. Scholars have until March 31, 2007, to complete the training as long as they are making continual progress. However, any scholar who beginning CDA training after March 31, 2007, will need to enroll in Early Education: Pathway to CDA to be eligible for a tuition and/or CDA Assessment Scholarship. BACK TO QUESTIONS
Does the CDA candidate have to complete the CDA observation by December 31, 2006, to qualify for the assessment fee scholarship through the Scholars for Excellence in Child Care?
No, a scholar does not have to complete the CDA observation by December 31, 2006. If scholars complete the training prior to or by March 31, 2007, they will be grandfathered in on the 120-clock hour track as long as their training hours are within the last five years, according to the Council's requirements. The CDA observation does not have to be completed by March 31, 2007, to be eligible for an assessment scholarship, nor do scholars have to request a waiver. BACK TO QUESTIONS
What is OCCS?
Oklahoma Child Care Services (OCCS) represents a variety of partners and initiatives working together to support the quality child care needs of families and providers. OCCS supports the Scholars Program to provide scholarship support to child care providers working to attain an associate degree or child development associate (CDA). BACK TO QUESTIONS
What is Early Education: Pathway to CDA?
It is a new, comprehensive CDA curriculum that consists of 17 units of formal education to prepare for the National CDA Credential. It covers all eight content areas for the CDA Competency Standards. For more information, see the Formal Educational Requirements of CDA Competency Standards (PDF, 40k). BACK TO QUESTIONS
What are some benefits for the students that enroll in the comprehensive CDA curriculum?
With any formal education the student always benefits. Some of the benefits of the curriculum are as follows:
What about child care careers?
The following 50 clock hours of community based training will be available after January 2007:
Will the 50 clock hours of child care career courses transfer into Pathway?
Yes, the 50 hours of child care career courses will transfer into the comprehensive CDA curriculum upon successful completion of unit quizzes. BACK TO QUESTIONS
Which child care career courses will be replaced by Early Education: Pathway to CDA?
The following courses will be replaced by Early Education: Pathway to CDA:
I have heard about a letter about the Early Education: Pathway to CDA curriculum, what is it?
See the letter (PDF, 21k) sent to all child care facilities/providers August 2006. BACK TO QUESTIONS
Who is eligible for a scholarship?
The eligibility requirements for Early Education: Pathway to CDA are as follows:
Note: Due to the availability of education and training funds, employees from federally funded child care programs are not eligible to participate in the scholarship. Additionally, employees from school-age programs are not eligible to participate in the scholarship at this time.
Who will pay the tuition for the scholarship recipients?
If eligible for a scholarship, the Scholars Program, operated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, will pay the career technology center $3.60 per clock hour enrolled. The scholar will pay $.75 per clock hour enrolled. The Scholars Program will also pay for 100 percent of the curriculum material. The payment will go directly to the technology center where the scholar is enrolled. The CDA Packet is also provided by the Scholars Program upon enrollment on Module V (Unit 17). BACK TO QUESTIONS
Will the scholarship pay for the CDA advisor?
The Scholars Program will not pay for the CDA advisor. The Center for Early Childhood Professional Development will continue to assist in the payment of the CDA advisor as long as they are on the approved advisor list (external link). BACK TO QUESTIONS
Will off-site training be available for the comprehensive CDA curriculum?
Yes, as long as the training being offered off-site is coordinated through a technology center, Early Education: Pathway to CDA curriculum will be available at off-site locations. BACK TO QUESTIONS
Will the comprehensive CDA curriculum be offered online?
Yes, you may enroll online now. Get more information (PDF, 40k) about enrolling online. BACK TO QUESTIONS
Can you mix the online courses with on-site courses?
Yes, you can combine the online courses and the on-site courses to complete the comprehensive CDA curriculum. BACK TO QUESTIONS
Do I need high-speed connection in order to enroll in the online option?
No, a dial-up or high-speed Internet connection will work. BACK TO QUESTIONS
I have heard there is an observation component. Is this true?
There are hands-on activities that will be completed throughout the curriculum. The hands-on activities will be able to be completed in the facility/family child care home in which you work. BACK TO QUESTIONS
How will the hands-on activities be documented or graded?
The educator will determine which way of documenting the hands-on activity will be appropriate for the setting in which you work. The different ways could be: professional portfolio, reflection paper or pictures/video of the hands-on activity assigned. BACK TO QUESTIONS
Once I complete the comprehensive CDA curriculum, how do I get my CDA credential?
The last module/unit of the comprehensive CDA curriculum is 35 clock hour training called "Pathway to CDA." At the end of the class, the student will have completed six competency statements, the professional resource file, parent questionnaires and a formal observation. Once the observation has been completed, the student, if on scholarship, will be eligible for the Scholars for Excellence in Child Care Assessment Scholarship to assist with the cost of the CDA Assessment fee. For more information, see this flow chart (PDF, 28k) detailing the tuition and assessment processes. BACK TO QUESTIONS
How is the comprehensive CDA curriculum divided up?
See the list of curriculum units (PDF, 26k) and Formal Educational Requirements of CDA Competency Standards (PDF, 40k).
BACK TO QUESTIONS
Have the Council for Professional Recognition CDA training requirements changed?
No, the training requirements for the Council for Professional Recognition have not changed. In order to meet their requirements, you must complete 120 hours of formal training with at least 10 clock hours in each of the eight content areas. The training must also be within the last five years. BACK TO QUESTIONS
If I do not qualify for a Scholars Program scholarship, can I still enroll in the comprehensive CDA curriculum?
Yes, anyone will be able to enroll in the comprehensive CDA curriculum, Early Education: Pathway to CDA. You do not have to have a scholarship to enroll. BACK TO QUESTIONS
If I am not eligible for a scholarship and I take the Early Education: Pathway to CDA Curriculum, do I have to complete 200 hours of training to meet the Council for Professional Recognition's requirements?
No, the training requirements for the Council for Professional Recognition have not changed. In order to meet their requirements, you must complete 120 hours of formal training with at least 10 clock hours in each of the eight content areas. The training must also be within the last five years. BACK TO QUESTIONS
Do I have to complete the comprehensive CDA training in 12-15 months?
No, if you are awarded a scholarship, your agreement term is active for 12 months. Pathway is designed for a student to be able to complete the training in 12 months, but if you are not able to complete your training in 12 months, you will be given the opportunity for an extension. BACK TO QUESTIONS
Do I have to pass the unit quizzes at 85 percent or higher to successfully complete the unit?
No, in order to successfully complete each unit, you will have to score an average of 85 percent. You will be given an overall average of all assignments, including your hands-on activities and quiz scores, to pass the unit at 85 percent or higher. BACK TO QUESTIONS
If I am transferring child care career training into Early Education: Pathway to CDA Curriculum, do I have to pass the unit quizzes at 85 percent of higher?
Yes, you will have to score 85 percent or higher to transfer child care career training into the comprehensive CDA curriculum. BACK TO QUESTIONS
If I take the CDA Blocks at Tulsa Technology Center, will I be eligible for a tuition or assessment scholarship?
No, any other training besides Pathway taken through Tulsa Technology Center will not be eligible for a tuition or assessment scholarship. BACK TO QUESTIONS
For More Information
For more information, visit the links on the left or contact Gina McPherson at the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, 866.343.3881 (toll free) or 405.225.9396, or the Scholars for Excellence in Child Care scholar coordinator in your area.