Child care and early education: News, reports, work groups

Starting July 1, 2020, Parent Aware Grant amounts will be tiered based on star ratings, and for the first time, programs earning four-star ratings will be eligible for the grants. In addition, programs applying to be re-rated in advance of their current rating expiration will only be eligible if they improve upon their current rating. Learn more about the Parent Aware Grant policy changes, what the new grant amounts will be and what led to the changes, in this Parent Aware Grant policy change overview (PDF) from the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Minnesota recently received a $4.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help design a more effective system for children prenatal to five and their families. The grant is a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Department of Human Services, along with the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet. Learn more on the Minnesota Department of Education’s Preschool Development Grant webpage.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services has created a new email subscription for Child Care Assistance Program providers. This email list will share information with you about changes to Child Care Assistance Program policies and notify you of issues. To get updates, update your email subscription preferences on the department’s website.

• 2019 Changes in state law

• Licensing requirements in 2018

Increase in Parent Aware grants for centers in counties with low Parent Aware participation

As of July 1, 2018, licensed centers in targeted counties that earn or Re-Rate for a One-, Two-, or Three-Star Rating through the Full-Rating Pathway will be eligible for higher Parent Aware grants to support quality improvement. This policy change was made to increase the availability of Rated child care programs for families in the parts of Minnesota where participation in Parent Aware is still low. The higher grant amount will be available through June 30, 2021.

The grant amount for licensed centers increased from $2,500 to $3,500 for programs in the following targeted counties: 

Region 1     Kittson, Red Lake, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk  

Region 2     Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen

Region 3     Aitkin, Carlton, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis

Region 4     Becker, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Traverse, Wilkin

Region 5     Cass, Crow Wing, Todd, Wadena

Region 6E   Kandiyohi, Renville

Region 6W  Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, Yellow Medicine

Region 7E    Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine

Region 7W  Benton, Stearns

Region 8     Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock

Region 9     Blue Earth, Martin, Nicollet, Sibley, Waseca, Watonwan

Region 10   Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Rice, Steele

Region 11   Ramsey

• Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program: State Fiscal Year 2019 Family Profile (DHS-6664G) (PDF), published February 2020
• Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program: State Fiscal Year 2018 Family Profile (DHS-6664F) (PDF), published January 2019
• Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program: State Fiscal Year 2017 Family Profile (DHS-6664E) (PDF), published January 2018 
  
  
• Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program: State Fiscal Year 2019 Provider Profile (DHS-7819C) (PDF), published February 2020 
• Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program: State Fiscal Year 2018 Provider Profile (DHS-7819B) (PDF), published February 2019
  
• Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program: State Fiscal Year 2017 Provider Profile (DHS-7819) (PDF), published January 2019  
  
  
• Child care assistance: Fact and figures DHS-4745 (PDF), published December 2016

Reports and fact sheets from the Minnesota Department of Human Services about Parent Aware, Minnesota's Quality Rating and Improvement System:

• Parent Aware Fast Facts, updated quarterly
  
  
• Parent Aware: Perceptions of the Building Quality Relationship-Based Coaching Model (DHS-7942AA-ENG) (PDF), published November 2019
• Parent Aware: Programs' Experiences with Building Quality Coaching (DHS-7942-BA-ENG) (PDF), Fact Sheet for DHS-7942-AA, published November 2019
• Parents' Perceptions of the Parent Aware Website and Search Tool (DHS-7937) (PDF), published September 2019
• Provider Perceptions of Parent Aware: Minnesota's Quality Rating and Improvement System (DHS-7859-ENG) (PDF), published May 2019
  
  
• Parent Aware Rated child care programs across Minnesota DHS-7086Bc-ENG (PDF), published October 2019
• Parent Aware Rated child care programs across Minnesota DHS-7086Bb-ENG (PDF), published July 2018
• Parent Aware Rated child care programs across Minnesota DHS-7086Ba-ENG (PDF), published March 2017 
• Participation in Parent Aware Ratings Across Minnesota DHS-7086B (PDF), published March 2016
  
  
• Parent Aware by the Numbers DHS-7086Ac-ENG (PDF), published June 2019
• Parent Aware by the Numbers (DHS-7086Ab-ENG PDF), published June 2018
• Parent Aware by the Numbers DHS-7086Aa-ENG (PDF), published March 2017
  
  
• Diversity of Child Care Program Participating in Parent Aware DHS-7086Ca (PDF), published March 2017
• Diversity of Child Care Programs Participating in Parent Aware DHS-7086C (PDF), published March 2016
  
  
• Parent Aware Quality Rating and Improvement System: Standards and Indicators DHS-6346B (PDF), published October 2016
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• Parent Aware Evaluation Reports and Validation Study, published 2012-2016, in collaboration with Close Gaps by 5 and Child Trends

• The Parent Aware Quality Rating and Improvement System: Increasing Accessibility for Families and Early Care and Education Programs DHS-7066 (PDF), published February 2015
• New Process to Approve Accreditations for Child Care Center Rate Differential (PDF), published February 2013
• An Early Childhood Quality Rating and Improvement System DHS-6346 (PDF), published March 2011
• Evaluation of the Minnesota Family, Friend and Neighbor Grant Program DHS-5269 (PDF), published February 2010 
• Early Learning Study: Move and Standards DHS-6084 (PDF), published February 2010

• Child Care and Early Education Workforce and Training Fast Facts, updated monthly 
• Evaluation of R.E.E.T.A.I.N., Minnesota's Child Care Workforce Retention program (DHS-7809A) (PDF)
• Fact Sheets for Evaluation of R.E.E.T.A.I.N., Minnesota's Child Care Workforce Retention program (DHS-7809B) (PDF)
• Executive Summary of the Evaluation of R.E.E.T.A.I.N. (DHS-7809C) (PDF)
• Professional Development for Minnesota's Childcare and Early Education Workforce: A State of the Supply of and Demand for Training DHS-7758A (PDF), published October 2018 
  (If you would like access to the Full Technical Report, please contact lynda.rhodes@state.mn.us) 
• Fact Sheets to Accompany Training Demand and Supply Report DHS-7758B (PDF), published October 2018 
• Minnesota's Great Workforce for Early Care and Education Annual Report of 2015 DHS-6313E (PDF), published January 2017
• Child Care Workforce in Minnesota: 2011 Statewide Study of Demographics, Training and Professional Development DHS-5115A (PDF), published August 2012
• Family Child Care Associations in Minnesota: Report of the 2011 Statewide Survey of Local Associations DHS-6522 (PDF), published July 2012
• Minnesota Professional Development System for Early Childhood and School-age Practitioners Annual Report of 2010 DHS-6313A (PDF), published January 2012

• Understanding Licensed Child Care in Minnesota DHS-3790 (PDF), published January 2017
• Minnesota Children in Child Care DHS-6805 (PDF), published August 2016
• Child Care Use in Minnesota: Report of the 2009 Statewide Household Child Care Survey DHS-6278 (PDF), published November 2010

• Results of the 2018 Child Care Market Rate Survey DHS-6226F (PDF), published March 2019
• Results of the 2016 Child Care Market Rate Survey DHS-6226E (PDF), published March 2017
• Results of the 2014 Child Care Market Rate Survey DHS-6226D (PDF), published April 2015

• Questions and Answers about the new 2017 indicators, published March 2017
• Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota's Early Learning Standards: Birth to Kindergarten DHS-7596A-ENG, published January 2017
• Early Childhood Indicators of Progress, ages birth to 3 DHS-4438 (PDF), published February 2007
• Early Childhood Indicators of Progress, ages 3 to 5 DHS-4576 (PDF), published December 2005
• School-age Indicators of Progress, ages 5 to 12 DHS-6398 (PDF), published June 2012

Minnesota’s Knowledge and Competency Framework for Early Childhood Educators explains what those in the early childhood workforce should know and be able to do. A series of documents about the framework is available at Minnesota Department of Education's website. 

Link to CCAP Rule Revision page

Link to Family Child Care Task Force