OH · Step Up To Quality
Ohio — CDA & ECE Workforce Credentials
Ohio places CDA at Career Pathways Level 3 (CPL 3); higher SUTQ star ratings require CPL 5+, and state pre-K requires public-school teacher cert.
Data current as of April 2026.
CDA acceptance & requirements
- Lead teacher requirements: Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY, est. 2024) child care licensing accepts CDA. CDA = Career Pathways Level 3 (CPL 3) on the Ohio Professional Registry.
- Assistant teacher requirements: Minimum age 18, HS diploma/GED, plus required orientation and ongoing PD.
- Director requirements: Higher CPL placement + administrative coursework + experience.
- State-funded pre-K (Ohio Department of Education ECE): Operates through public schools and partners; lead teachers require state teacher cert with EC endorsement. CDA does not satisfy.
- QRIS: Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) — Ohio's QRIS. Higher star (5) ratings require CPL 5+ for lead teachers.
- T.E.A.C.H. & apprenticeship: T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Ohio is administered through OCCRRA (Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association). ECE Registered Apprenticeships through Ohio community college system.
State-specific ECE workforce credentials
- Ohio Professional Registry (OPR) Career Pathways — Administered by OCCRRA. Six levels (CPL 1–6). CDA = CPL 3 (mid-pathway).
- Ohio Department of Education — Early Childhood Education (PK-3) license for public-school pre-K; BA + state EPP.
- OCCRRA Director Credential for ECE administrators.
Notable state context
Ohio's 2024 creation of the Department of Children and Youth (DCY) consolidated previously fragmented oversight from ODJFS and ODE. The OPR Career Pathways framework is one of the more granular state ECE credentialing systems, with explicit CPL placement driving SUTQ scoring.