Utah — CDA & ECE Workforce Credentials

CDA acceptance & requirements

• Lead teacher requirements: Utah Office of Child Care (Department of Workforce Services) child care licensing accepts CDA among lead teacher qualifications. CDA places the holder at a defined level on Utah's Career Ladder System (12 levels).
• Assistant teacher requirements: Minimum age 18, HS diploma/GED, plus orientation training and 20 hours/year of in-service.
• Director requirements: Higher Career Ladder level required; education + administrative coursework + experience.
• QRIS: Utah uses Care About Childcare as both its workforce platform and its quality recognition framework. Workforce Career Ladder levels are scoring criteria.
• T.E.A.C.H. & apprenticeship: T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Utah is administered through Utah AEYC and partners. Utah's Office of Child Care and Child Care Resource Agencies (CCRA) host CDA cohort programs statewide and provide CDA portfolio consultation, advising, and free or affordable training.

State-specific ECE workforce credentials

• Utah Career Ladder System — Issuing agency: Utah Office of Child Care (Workforce Services). 12 levels earned through approved Career Ladder face-to-face/online classes (clock hours/CEUs), Demonstrated Competency at Level 4, or college credit/degrees in ECE.
• Care About Childcare — workforce platform; tracks training, registration, scholarships, and PD.
• Utah Director's Credential — for ECE administrators.
• Utah State Board of Education — Early Childhood Education (B-Grade 3) license — for public-school pre-K teachers; bachelor's + state-approved EPP. CDA does not satisfy this.

Notable state context

Utah's 12-level Career Ladder is one of the most granular in the country. The Demonstrated Competency option at Level 4 is unusual — it allows experienced practitioners without formal coursework to advance.