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Parent Aware

Get the recognition you deserve for demonstrating best practices in early education! Parent Aware is the statewide Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) for Minnesota. Every state in the country now has a QRIS. Ours is called Parent Aware. Parent Aware Ratings are focused on getting children ready to succeed in kindergarten and in life! When you volunteer to participate, you go beyond basic health and safety requirements to demonstrate the best practices in early education. Learn more about Parent Aware here.

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Program Benefits

• Have your quality recognized
• FREE coaching and assistance
• Increased access to scholarships for families
• Ongoing marketing support
• Higher reimbursement rates
• Join the community of Rated programs

*Starting July 1, 2024, Early Learning Scholarships – Pathway I can only be used at programs with a Three- or Four-Star rating.

Parent Aware Grant Information

• $1,000 is available for programs that choose Building Quality and complete a minimum of 20 hours with a Quality Coach, which gives participants more coaching as they prepare for a Parent Aware Star Rating; and
• $1,500 is available for programs that receive a 1-Star rating
• $2,000 is available for programs that earn a 2-Star rating
• $3,500 is available for programs that earn a 3-Star rating
• $4,000 is available for programs that earn a 4-Star rating
• New Policy for Re-Rating programs- rated programs that apply to be re-rated in advance of their current rating expiration date will only be eligible for grants if they earn a higher star rating level than they currently have.
• Providers that have participated in the Building Quality pathway are eligible to participate again. These quality improvement dollars can be spent on professional development training, curricula, assessment tools, toys, equipment, technology— such as a computer, printer, or software—or other materials tied to the provider’s program goals.

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Attend an Information Session

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Inside Look at Parent Aware

Watch these videos produced by Think Small which are specifically designed for Spanish, Hmong and Somali child care providers. You’ll get an inside look at Parent Aware rated programs in Minnesota and learn about the benefits of earning a Parent Aware rating.

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