Wisconsin — CDA & ECE Workforce Credentials

CDA acceptance & requirements

• Lead teacher requirements: Wisconsin DCF Division of Early Care and Education child care licensing accepts CDA among lead teacher qualifications. The Wisconsin Registry verifies CDA upon submission of the certificate and uses CDA toward Career Levels.
• Assistant teacher requirements: Minimum age 18, HS diploma/GED, plus orientation training and 25 hours/year of in-service for higher YoungStar levels.
• Director / Site Supervisor requirements: 8 credits in ECE are required for center directors. Up to 2 courses from the Wisconsin Registry Administrator Credential series may substitute for the ECE credit requirement (if completed prior to beginning the director role).
• QRIS: YoungStar — five-star QRIS administered by Wisconsin DCF. Workforce credentials and Registry Career Levels of the Program Director/Site Supervisor are central scoring criteria.
• T.E.A.C.H. & apprenticeship: T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Wisconsin is administered by Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA). ECE Registered Apprenticeships through Wisconsin Technical College System.

State-specific ECE workforce credentials

• Wisconsin Registry Career Levels — Issuing agency: Wisconsin Registry (a non-profit affiliated with WECA, recognized by DCF). CDA is verified by the Registry; placement on Career Levels is based on coursework, training, and credentials.
• Wisconsin Registry Credentials — multiple state-recognized credentials including:
  • Wisconsin Infant/Toddler Credential
  • Wisconsin Preschool Credential
  • Wisconsin Inclusion Credential
  • Wisconsin Administrator Credential
  • Wisconsin Leadership Credential
  • Wisconsin School-Age and Youth Credential These are typically each 18 ECE credits earned through the WI Technical College System.
• Wisconsin DPI — Early Childhood (Birth-Age 8) license — for public-school pre-K and primary teachers; bachelor's + state-approved EPP. CDA does not satisfy this.

Notable state context

Wisconsin is one of the few states with a fully developed suite of state-issued credentials (Infant/Toddler, Preschool, Inclusion, Administrator, Leadership, School-Age/Youth) administered through the Wisconsin Registry, all at roughly the 18-credit / certificate level — a tier above CDA but below an associate degree. CDA is recognized at a defined Career Level but does not directly map to a Wisconsin Registry credential.