AN ACT to provide flexibilities in child care to address the workforce shortage by recognizing the child development associate (CDA) credential in early childhood education.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  No later than March 31, 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (Division), shall develop and implement criteria that incorporates the child development associate (CDA) credential for birth through 3 years of age and the CDA credential for 3 to 5 years of age to count toward satisfying the requirements for the star rating system for child care. An individual seeking recognition for the CDA credential for birth through 3 years of age or 3 to 5 years of age shall meet the following requirements:
(1)	Education. – The individual must satisfy education criteria as follows:
a.	Earn a high school diploma, a general education development (GED) credential, or be enrolled as a junior or senior in a high school career and technical program in early childhood education.
b.	Complete 120 hours of formal early childhood education training, covering the growth and development of children either birth through 3 years of age or 3 to 5 years of age, with no fewer than 10 training hours in each of the following eight subject areas:
1.	Planning a safe and healthy learning environment.
2.	Advancing children's physical and intellectual development.
3.	Supporting children's social and emotional development.
4.	Building productive relationships with families.
5.	Managing an effective program operation.
6.	Maintaining a commitment to professionalism.
7.	Observing and recording children's behavior.
8.	Understanding the principles of child development and learning.
(2)	Training. – An individual shall complete training, whether through a single agency or multiple organizations. The organization providing the training must (i) have expertise in early childhood education and teacher preparation and (ii) provide official documentation when the individual's training is completed.
(3)	Documentation. – Within six months of submitting the application for the CDA credential for birth through 3 years of age or 3 to 5 years of age, the individual shall (i) prepare the individual's CDA portfolio, which shall consist of a collection of reference materials related to the individual's work with children and families, and (ii) select a CDA professional development specialist to conduct the individual's CDA verification visit to review the individual's professional portfolio, observe the individual working with children, complete dialogue with the individual, and submit score recommendations.
(4)	Experience. – Within three years of submitting the application for the CDA credential for birth through 3 years of age or 3 to 5 years of age, the individual must obtain 480 hours of professional work experience in a center‑based setting with children either birth through 3 years of age or 3 to 5 years of age.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2023.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 29th day of June, 2023.

	s/	 Phil Berger
	 President Pro Tempore of the Senate

	s/	 Tim Moore
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	_____________________________________
		 Roy Cooper
	 Governor

Approved __________.m. this ______________ day of ___________________, 2023