June 25, 2026 By CDHD IdahoSTARS cohorts provide training for CDA certification Each year, our IdahoSTARS project facilitates a calendar of training opportunities for child care and early education providers across the state. This includes the Child Development Associates (CDA) Cohort program – peer-learning designed to help professionals gain their CDA credential. This program provides a supportive community that meets regularly, completes the 120 hours of coursework and prepares the required portfolio to clear the CDA Council’s verification process. Specialized coaching is offered along with professional development incentives through IdahoSTARS. Participation is free, with four areas of focus available. This includes infant/toddler development, which recently completed its spring Cognitive and Literacy Cohort. This was focused on sparking infant and toddler curiosity while supporting healthy child development. This follows the fall Social and Behavioral Cohort on how responsive interactions, meaningful connections and strong relationships support well-being and development. Each session invited 12 infant/toddler home-based providers and center teachers from across Idaho to complete seven three-hour training sessions. Each session covered curriculum from the Zero to Three Critical Competencies for Infant-Toddler Educators course. Sessions were facilitated by IdahoSTARS staff member and Zero to Three-trained Stacy Stooks. “I have been a trainer for the Zero to Three Critical Competencies for all three focused areas (social-emotional, cognitive, and language & literacy) and offered these trainings to infant and toddler child care professionals for three years. This is the first year IdahoSTARS has combined these trainings with additional coaching as a cohort,” said Stacy. Participants also committed to two coaching cycles with an IdahoSTARS Infant Toddler Mental Health Endorsed coach to engage in one-on-one coaching sessions to apply the information learned. “Each cohort participant filled out pre- and post-tests so we could find out if the training and coaching made an impact or demonstrated a change in practice. During the first cohort, we found a lot of growth in knowledge from the pre- and post-tests,” she continued. “The most rewarding for me was at the end of the cohort post-test finding out that all the participants often or always used what they learned (through both the training and coaching) in their day-to-day work. As a trainer, I feel learning the knowledge through the trainings and discussions are definitely beneficial, but the game changer this year was having the coaches present when the participants were reflecting and putting the skills into practice. “I am thankful to have a strong team for this cohort, which includes Infant Toddler Mental Health (ITMH) endorsed and trained coaches (Michelle Mothersill, Stefanie Taylor and Kathy Gates) working together to make a difference in the field of early education for infant toddler child care professionals in Idaho.” This work supports early development by offering practical guidance informed by research that has been applied to everyday teaching practices. It supports strong teacher-child interactions and builds on competency areas aligned with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. Critical competencies include Providing Consistent and Responsive Caregiving, Supporting Reasoning and Problem Solving, and Promoting Early Literacy. Candice Lara, a Child Care Professional at Kootenai Kids in Kootenai, Idaho, completed both the fall and spring cohorts. This achievement not only boosted her professional knowledge, but she was also able to apply for a CDA incentive award through IdahoSTARS RISE. This incentive provided funds to purchase new supplies for her school. “Thank you for the opportunity to be able to get our school the money needed for all these supplies. I’m so excited to be able to add these to our school and watch the growth in the development as children get to explore with them,” she said. For more information about getting your CDA, visit the Council for Professional Recognition website. For Idaho-based care and education providers interested in signing up for a CDA Cohort, please contact your IdahoSTARS regional office.