Illinois — CDA & ECE Workforce Credentials

CDA acceptance & requirements

• Lead teacher requirements: Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) child care licensing accepts CDA. CDA is the basis for Gateways ECE Credential Level 2.
• Assistant teacher requirements: Minimum age 18, HS diploma/GED, plus required orientation. Gateways Level 1 typically corresponds to entry training.
• Director requirements: Illinois Director Credential (IDC) — three levels for ECE administrators.
• State-funded pre-K (Preschool For All / PFA): Operates through public schools and partners; lead teachers require Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Professional Educator License (PEL) with EC endorsement (BA + EPP). CDA does not satisfy this.
• QRIS: ExceleRate Illinois — Illinois' QRIS, with Gateways credential levels as central scoring criteria. Higher star (Gold) requires Level 5+ for lead teachers.
• T.E.A.C.H. & apprenticeship: T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Illinois is administered through INCCRRA (Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies). ECE Registered Apprenticeships through the Illinois Community College Board.

State-specific ECE workforce credentials

• Gateways ECE Credential — Issuing agency: INCCRRA on behalf of state agencies. Six levels (1–6) stacking from entry training (Level 1) through doctoral work (Level 6). CDA = basis for Level 2.
• Other Gateways credentials: Gateways Infant Toddler Credential, Gateways Family Specialist Credential, Illinois Director Credential (IDC).
• Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Early Childhood Education licensure for public-school pre-K and primary.

Notable state context

Illinois has one of the more elaborate state-credential ladder systems in the country, with multiple parallel Gateways tracks (general ECE, Infant Toddler, Family Specialist, Director). The integration of Gateways into ExceleRate scoring makes credential climbing directly tied to provider quality ratings.