PITTSBURGH – The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) and the Council for Professional Recognition are partnering to help colleges and universities accelerate and increase credential completion in early childhood education programs. Under the partnership, CAEL will develop individualized crosswalks for selected institutions linking the Council for Professional Recognition’s Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™ and its emerging credential, the Child Development Professional (CDP)™, to college-level learning outcomes.The Council for Professional Recognition advances career pathways for early childhood educators through high-quality, competency-based credentialing. Its partnership with CAEL strengthens the sector’s talent pipeline and removes barriers to career entry and advancement by ensuring that the expertise gained by early childhood professionals is formally recognized by academic institutions.
“As is the case with credit for prior learning in general, recognizing the competencies demonstrated in the CDA Credential as college credit will save adult learners significant time and money on their journey to a degree, resulting in more institutional credit hours and overall program completion,” said Earl Buford, CAEL president and CEO. “This initiative directly addresses the critical workforce shortage crisis in the early childhood education sector by formally recognizing professional expertise and accelerating degree completion.”
"This partnership creates a powerful bridge into the early childhood profession,” said Dr. Calvin E. Moore, Jr., Council for Professional Recognition CEO. “By integrating the CDA Credential into academic pathways, credential earners can build practical, skills-based experience while earning academic credit, strengthening career pathways and preparing the next generation of early childhood educators."
Through a series of cohorts, participating institutions will receive professional development, technical assistance, and individualized guidance under CAEL’s peer-learning framework. Within this collaborative environment, cohort members benefit from adapting shared best practices to meet specific challenges and opportunities in formalizing credit-awarding processes.
A central goal of CAEL's partnership with each selected institution is to create credit crosswalks that align the CDA/CDP with specific, corresponding courses and credit hours offered by the institution. By establishing clear and consistent CPL policies for these credentials, institutions can significantly enhance their support for early childhood educators, reduce their time-to-degree, and improve pathways to career advancement.
Receiving credit for prior learning (CPL) boosts completion rates among adult learners by 17%. CPL also saves students significant time and money. Because CPL students persist and complete at greater rates, they also complete more traditional credit hours.
CPL can also offer recruiting impact: CAEL research has found that the vast majority (84%) of likely enrollees said the ability to receive CPL would significantly influence their choice of institution. More than 40 million Americans have completed some college but have no credential. Another 84 million have never enrolled.
Interested institutions can apply for the cohort by completing this form.
Applications are due April 6, 2026. The cohort is scheduled to launch in April 2026. Participants should anticipate engaging in structured, collaborative quarterly meetings throughout the remainder of 2026. These sessions will provide a collaborative environment for institutions to share best practices, navigate challenges, and receive technical assistance from CAEL.
For more information or questions about the application, please contact Dr. Alicia Myrick at amyrick@cael.org
About CAEL
Recognizing that adult learners are the backbone of the U.S. economy, CAEL, a national nonprofit membership organization established in 1974, helps forge a clear, viable connection between education and career success, providing solutions that promote sustainable and equitable economic growth. CAEL opens doors to opportunity in collaboration with workforce and economic developers; postsecondary educators and trainers; employers and industry groups; and foundations and other mission-aligned organizations, engaging with these stakeholders to foster a culture of innovative, lifelong learning that helps individuals, and their communities, thrive. Learn more at cael.org.
About the Council for Professional Recognition
The Council for Professional Recognition advances career pathways for early childhood educators through high-quality, competency-based credentialing. The Council recognizes and credentials professionals who work in all types of early care and education settings including infant-toddler, preschool, family child care, and home visitor programs. As a nonprofit organization, the Council sets policies and procedures for assessment and credentialing. To date, well over one million Child Development Associate® (CDA) credentials have been issued around the world. For more information, visit cdacouncil.org.