How do I get a Bilingual CDA?

You can get your CDA in Spanish or another language. However, the language for the CDA assessment is determined by the language that the candidate’s job requires her to use his daily work with children and families, regardless of where the candidate is from, or the languages that the candidate may speak best or prefers to speak.

1. The candidate may obtain the required 120 clock hours of training in any language other than English. However, if the candidate’s work requires her or him to speak English with the children, then all of the CDA documentation (other than the training) must be prepared in English.
2. To receive a Monolingual CDA (in Spanish only), the candidate must: (Please refer to page 17 in the Competency Standards Book).
1. Work in a program that requires the candidate to speak Spanish (either in a monolingual program where Spanish is the language spoken OR in a bilingual program that requires the candidate to speak only Spanish)
2. The Advisor must be Spanish speaker also, and must conduct her observations in Spanish. The Council (CDA) Rep will be a Spanish speaker person also. The Candidate’s Resource File has to be prepared in Spanish as applicable.
3. There is no notification on the Spanish CDA Certificate indicating that it is a Spanish specific CDA. Both Credentials the Monolingual Spanish and the Monolingual English look exactly the same.
3. To receive a Bilingual CDA:
1. The entire program (not individual classrooms in a program) must have an overall philosophy on how children learn 2 languages.
2. The program identifies itself as a bilingual program; the Council is able to ascertain if the program is bilingual based on the parent questionnaires, the CDA advising and observation, CDA rep visit, etc; and ultimately, the Council may request specific information from the program to verify its authenticity.
3. The candidate who works in a bilingual program has a choice to pursue a monolingual CDA (in either English or Spanish) OR a bilingual CDA depending on what languages the program requires the candidate to speak . If the program requires the candidate to speak 2 languages, then the candidate should pursue a bilingual CDA. If the program requires the candidate to speak English or Spanish only, then the candidate should pursue a monolingual CDA (English or Spanish specific and as applicable).
4. The candidate must work or be a volunteer in a bilingual program
5. The candidate’s job requires her to work with children and families in 2 languages
6. The CDA Advisor must be bilingual
7. The Resource File must follow bilingual guidelines
8. The Competency Statements:
1. 3 must be in English but has to include a bilingual explanation regarding how the candidate performs bilingually in the specific competency area.
2. 3 must be in Spanish but has to include a bilingual explanation regarding how the candidate performs bilingually in the specific competency area.
9. The written exam is always in English (for ALL Candidates applying for Bilingual) because is it measuring the candidates proficiency to perform bilingually via reading, writing and comprehension.
10. The interview may be in the preferred language of the candidate choice.