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News, Updates and Engagements: Parent Aware

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Parent Aware is Minnesota’s voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). Parent Aware recognizes programs for their commitment to quality. Each Star Rating level builds on the previous one, helping families easily identify which quality practices the program is using.

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July 1, 2026 statute changes

Parent Aware statute 142D.13 went into effect July 1, 2026. Changes include:

New program exclusions for licensing and program integrity violations.  
All licensed child care providers that are in good standing with the state or their Tribe will receive a One-Star Parent Aware Rating unless they are already Rated or choose to opt out. Learn more here.

Parent Aware Rated programs were required to sign a new participation agreement before July 1, 2026, agreeing to these new terms. DCYF informed programs and started collecting updated participation agreements in April 2026.

What programs will have their Ratings revoked on July 1, 2026?

Starting on July 1, 2026, per Minnesota statute and Parent Aware policy, programs will have their Ratings revoked, and their participation in Parent Aware will end if their licenses are not in good standing or if there are program integrity concerns.

Licensing not in good standing

Per Minnesota statute and Parent Aware policy, programs will have their Rating revoked on July 1, 2026, if their license is:

Under revocation
Suspended
Temporary immediate suspended
Decertified
Operating under a conditional license

Ratings will be revoked regardless of whether the action is under appeal. If your licensing status is not in good standing by July 1, the Parent Aware Rating you currently hold will be revoked, and your participation will be terminated. 

Program integrity issues

Per Minnesota statute and Parent Aware policy, a program will have its Rating revoked on July 1, 2026, if it:

Has been found to have committed fraud and is serving a related penalty or exclusion,
Is prohibited from receiving public funds under section 12,
Is currently subject to suspended, denied, or terminated payments under section 17, subdivision 9, paragraph (d), clause (1) or (2); 142E.51, subdivision 7, paragraph (c), clause (4); or 256.98, subdivision 1, regardless of whether the action is under appeal.

These requirements apply regardless of whether the action is being appealed.

Who should I contact with questions?

I received a message in Develop saying my Rating was revoked. Why did I receive this if I don’t participate in Parent Aware?

My Rating was revoked. Can I participate in Parent Aware again?

You will be eligible to participate in Parent Aware once your license is in good standing and there are no program integrity concerns. At that time, you will be issued a One-Star Rating. If you do not want the One-Star Rating, you can opt out. If you would like to earn a higher Star Rating, you must submit a new application and Participation Agreement. You must submit evidence to earn a new Rating. 

My Rating was revoked. Can I still accept Early Learning Scholarships?

How are impacted families being supported?

We understand that this change may be difficult for families. The state will reach out to impacted families to share resources, such as help finding new child care. Families may continue care with their current provider and pay with their own money or find a different program that can accept Early Learning Scholarships. If you need help finding an eligible program, please call 888-291-9811 or visit www.parentaware.org.

Parent Aware Redesign Process

The Parent Aware Redesign was a multi-year effort from June 2023 to December 2025 to engage interested parties to assess barriers and develop ideas to improve the system. Changes that can be made with existing resources include:

An advisory committee with representation from families and early educators meets regularly to provide ongoing feedback on ideas for future Parent Aware improvements.
Parent Aware Standards and Indicators were updated, effective July 1, 2026.
Increased options for professional development, especially additional options related to trauma-informed care.
Made updates to the Develop data system to make it easier to use.
Translated forms into more languages.
Provided training to increase skills of coaches and advisors.

Other ideas for changes that came out of the process will be considered for the future as resources allow. Recommendations for future changes were provided in the Parent Aware Evaluation and One-Star Rating Report.

New Knowledge and Competency Framework (KCF) Content Areas to meet training requirements

Last updated on July 19, 2024

We are happy to share that two additional Knowledge and Competency Framework (KCF) Content Areas are approved to meet the training requirements for Parent Aware Ratings. Individuals can use training hours completed within the past five years according to the Parent Aware Pathway Five-Year look back date policy. As of July 1, 2024, individuals are allowed to use the following:

KCF IX Trauma Informed Care and Practice in lieu of or in addition to KCF IIC Social and Emotional Development and,
KCF X Working with Multilingual Children and Families in lieu of or in addition to KCF III Relationships with Families.

This change in policy is a step towards providing more flexible and relevant training options for educators working with children and families from diverse communities.

New NAEYC Accreditation tiers and Parent Aware Ratings

Prior to May 2025, NAEYC only offered one tier of accreditation. NAEYC now offers three tiers: recognition, accreditation, and accreditation plus. Moving forward, NAEYC-accredited programs will need to choose which accreditation tier they wish to pursue.

Effective July 1, 2025, programs that choose the accreditation and the accreditation plus NAEYC tiers will be eligible to use the Parent Aware Accelerated Rating Pathway. In addition, these tiers will also count for the Child Care Assistance Program’s 15 percent higher tier of reimbursement for higher quality programs. This change provides flexibility in the definition of being “accredited,” to account for new options for validating accreditation.

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News, Updates and Engagements: Parent Aware

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Parent Aware Standards and Indicators changes

July 1, 2026 statute changes

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