Michigan awarded funds and support to make the Child Development Associate credential the entry point for childcare workers.

Lansing, MI, November 5, 2026 – Michigan has been selected as one of five states to participate in a national pilot designed to strengthen the early childhood workforce and expand access to professional credentials. Through the two-year initiative, Michigan will receive $528,555 to support 250 preschool associate teachers in earning the Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™, with a focus on educators serving in Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) classrooms that are currently on compliance plans and whose teachers still need the credential.

The initiative, CDA: The Best First Step, is led by Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) in partnership with the Council for Professional Recognition and the Child Care Trust™. Michigan’s participation will support the state’s broader PreK for All expansion by helping educators obtain the credentials they need to support high-quality prekindergarten classrooms and strengthen Michigan’s early childhood workforce.Unlike many essential professions, childcare does not have a clear, consistent entry point into the field, making it harder to recruit, prepare, and retain the skilled educators children need. This contributes to the national gap in childcare coverage. Nearly 4.2 million children in the U.S. do not have access to childcare within a reasonable distance. The gap is even greater in rural communities.

Michigan, along with Florida, Kansas, North Dakota, and Ohio, will receive funding and support to expand access to the CDA®, strengthen career pathways, and help advance a national goal of having at least one CDA-credentialed educator in every childcare classroom. Research shows that educators with early childhood credentials were significantly more likely to stay in the field (65% retention) compared to those with only a high school diploma (46%).

In Michigan, the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (Michigan AEYC) and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) will offer prekindergarten educators a structured six-month pathway to earning a CDA®. Supports will include personalized coaching, scholarships, and credentialing assistance. The initiative will prioritize 250 educators in GSRP classrooms currently on compliance plans who still need the credential, helping programs meet requirements while supporting Michigan’s efforts to expand access to high-quality, state-funded prekindergarten through PreK for All.

“Michigan AEYC is honored to be the recipient of this grant and are looking forward to collaborating with MiLEAP to support early childhood educators in earning the nationally recognized CDA credential with a clear, supported pathway,” said Erica Willard, CEO of Michigan AEYC. “Together, we can build a model that strengthens the early childhood workforce and helps educators continue to grow in their profession.”

“Every child deserves access to high-quality early learning experiences, and that starts with a strong, supported early childhood workforce,” said Synthia Britton, MiLEAP interim deputy director overseeing the Office of Early Education. “Through our partnership with Michigan AEYC, we’re expanding access to the Child Development Associate credential and creating a clearer pathway for educators to enter and grow in the profession. By prioritizing educators who need this credential to meet GSRP requirements, we can support prekindergarten programs, advance PreK for All and help more children get the strong start they need to succeed.”

The CDA offers states a practical, nationally recognized approach to preparing early childhood educators. The competency-based credential prepares educators with the skills for the classroom, is portable across programs and state lines, and can serve as a bridge to continued education and career growth. The U.S. Department of Defense childcare system already uses the CDA as a foundational credential for its workforce.

“Childcare needs a clear starting line, and we don’t have to invent one,” said Susan Gale Perry, CEO of Child Care Aware® of America. “The CDA is a practical, proven way to better prepare and retain the skilled educators children need, while giving educators a pathway to grow. These five states will help show how we can make that strong first step available nationwide.”

Through CDA: The Best First Step, CCAoA and the Council will work with the five participating states to expand access to the credential and strengthen the pathways around it. The pilot will test approaches in different state contexts and identify the policies, partnerships, and supports needed to make the CDA a consistent entry point for the childcare profession nationwide.

Each state will identify practical ways to make the CDA easier to earn and more valuable to educators as they build their careers. In Michigan, efforts will focus on making training and coaching easier to access and afford, provide personalized credentialing support and scholarships, ensuring the credential counts toward state childcare qualifications and career advancement, and reducing unnecessary barriers to earning it. The initiative will also explore policy changes that can sustain these improvements beyond the pilot period.

Throughout the two-year pilot, the five states will receive support from CCAoA and the Council, learn from one another, and track results. Lessons from the initiative will help inform efforts to strengthen the early childhood workforce in Michigan and in other states across the country.

The pilot is expected to run from October 2026 through May 2028. CCAoA will bring together lessons from the five states to identify effective approaches across different settings and support broader adoption of the CDA as a consistent entry point for the childcare profession nationwide.

The initiative is funded by the Council for Professional Recognition, which has administered the national CDA credentialing program for more than 40 years and has credentialed one million individuals since the program began in 1975. Together, CCAoA and the Council are supporting states in testing approaches that can strengthen CDA access and integration while generating lessons to inform a national strategy for a stronger, more professional early childhood workforce.

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About Child Care Aware® of America

Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) is the country’s leading voice for childcare, championing equitable access to affordable, high-quality care. CCAoA engages with partners at the local, state, and federal levels, including the United States Military and the Department of Defense, to make childcare programs, policies, and funding work better for children, families, childcare providers, and communities.

About the Child Care Trust

The Child Care Trust™ is a nonpartisan research and policy organization dedicated to understanding and addressing the nation’s childcare crisis. Backed by Child Care Aware® of America, the Trust will develop real-world solutions, informed by data and research, for how America funds, organizes, and sustains quality childcare.

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 Head Start, pre-k, infant-toddler, family childcare, and home visitor programs. As a nonprofit organization, the Council sets policies and procedures for assessment and credentialing. To date, over 1 million Child Development Associate® (CDA) credentials have been issued around the world. For more information, visit www.cdacouncil.org.

About the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (Michigan AEYC)

The Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (Michigan AEYC) promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. Michigan AEYC supports a diverse, dynamic early childhood workforce and advances early childhood education as a respected profession. For more information, visit www.miaeyc.org.

About the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP)

Established by Gov. Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP ensures every Michigander has a path to prosperity from birth to earning a postsecondary credential that leads to high-wage careers. To learn more about MiLEAP, visit Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.