Parent Aware Redesign

1. Children thrive in environments where they feel accepted and validated as unique individuals. Programs with relevant and developmentally appropriate practices naturally encourage children to feel accepted and like they belong. Parent Aware wants to encourage and promote these practices, which also serves to minimize the use of suspension and expulsion of children from Parent Aware-participating programs. Currently there are disparities in the number of children suspended and expelled from programs based on race, gender, dis/ability, and income. 

2. Parent Aware is working towards a desired state where all programs and providers can successfully participate in the program. Because some communities have historically not participated or have not remained in the program, we are identifying the barriers these communities have experienced and working to eliminate them. In cases where barriers cannot be eliminated, we are seeking to increase support for communities experiencing them so they can fully participate and remain in Parent Aware at the same levels other communities do.

3. Early educators in Parent Aware-participating programs access early child care and education workforce supports as part of participating in Parent Aware. These supports increase their knowledge and ability to work successfully with young children. However, there are currently disparities based on race, ethnicity, language, geography, and immigration status in early educators’ participation in early child care and workforce supports and achievement on the Minnesota Career Lattice. Parent Aware seeks to identify, address, and remove barriers to professional development participation and achievement.

4. Parent Aware wants to intentionally and continuously improve program standards, policies, practices, and programming. By centering the values and needs of families, educators, and providers who have experienced barriers in the past, we will ensure that Parent Aware does not set up barriers to accessing supports or participating, making the program open and available to everyone who wants to use it.

5. Our goal is for early care and learning environments to be safe and welcoming to children, families, and educators. Historical factors and systemic barriers have limited access for some people and communities to essential resources and opportunities, which created gaps that hinder full participation and success within those groups of people. By seeking to identify, address, and remove these factors and barriers, we will build more efficient, responsive systems that will allow all children, families, educators, and systems staff to fully engage and succeed.

   To support this goal, we are incorporating professional development focused on enhancing the ability to recognize and respond to a range of needs and perspectives within the communities we serve. These trainings will equip individuals with the skills to identify patterns that impact outcomes, improve communication, and enhance the overall effectiveness of their service delivery, ensuring that everyone has the support they need to succeed.

1. *Parent Aware Advisory Committee 
   As part of the Parent Aware Redesign, the department has launched a new Parent Aware Advisory Committee. The committee advises the department and Child Care Aware of Minnesota on decisions to help shape and improve Parent Aware. The committee is made up of parents, partners and community members, providers and early educators from licensed child care, Head Start and prekindergarten programs along with state staff. The committee was formed in summer 2023.
    
2. *Parent Aware Evaluation 

   As part of the Parent Aware Redesign, the department is evaluating how well Parent Aware supports positive outcomes for Minnesota’s children, families and the early care and education workforce. This evaluation is required by law (MN Statutes 142D.13) and began March 2022 and ended September 2024. It focused on outcomes for children, quality of programs, parents’ experiences, and child care providers' ability to serve children. Learn more about the evaluation here.

3. Parent Aware forms and Develop data system

   As part of the Parent Aware Redesign, the department is reviewing and revamping Parent Aware forms and updating the Develop data system. The department will gather feedback from an advisory team, child care and early education programs, Child Care Aware staff and others to understand the challenges and barriers around forms and Develop. This work will help improve the experience of child care and early education programs’ participation in Parent Aware.

4. *Parent Aware Quality Coaching and Professional Development Advising 

   As part of the Parent Aware Redesign, the department is assessing the current landscape of Quality Coaches and Professional Development Advisors who support child care providers participating in Parent Aware. The assessment, which will include deep engagement, will help create new strategies for diversifying the pool of Quality Coaches and Professional Development Advisors and ensure current Quality Coaches and Professional Development Advisors have cultural humility.

5. Racial bias and discrimination incident guidelines for the Child Care Aware System

   As part of the Parent Aware Redesign, the department is creating guidelines for responding to racial bias and discrimination incidents experienced by staff of color in the Child Care Aware system. A workgroup will research and create guidelines for Minnesota. Interim guidelines will be shared before a final guide is released to the Parent Aware system.

6. *Rating Pathways and Cohorts 

   As part of the Parent Aware Redesign, the department is exploring alternative Rating Pathways to encourage broader participation in Parent Aware. The department will engage child care providers and early educators to better understand their needs and create, in partnership, more flexible pathways to become Parent Aware Rated. This work will have a special focus on family child care providers and the experiences of providers who speak diverse languages.

7. Reductions of suspensions and expulsions of young children in Parent Aware Rated programs

   As part of the Parent Aware Redesign, the department is creating strategies to reduce the number of children from birth to age five that are suspended or expelled from Rated child care and early education programs. The project will work collaboratively with partners and other state agencies, and will focus on reducing disparities based on race, income and ethnicity.

8. *Revising the Standards and Indicators 

   Parent Aware Standards and Indicators are the quality measures used to award Star Ratings. As part of the Parent Aware Redesign, the department is updating the Standards and Indicators, with next steps shared in 2025. The process will review and update the Standards and Indicators to reflect best practices, ensure they promote child well-being, are culturally and linguistically affirming, and are meaningful for programs that participate.

   For more information, go to the Standards and Indicators page. 

Recent publications 

• Parent Aware Racial Equity Implementation: Summary of 2022-2023 Accomplishments
• Parent Aware Racial Equity Implementation: Evaluation Report (Portage Partners Consulting, Oct. 2023)
• Evaluation of Parent Aware: Minnesota’s Voluntary Child Care and Early Learning Program Quality Rating and Improvement System (Child Trends, Sept. 2024)
• Parent Aware Standards and Indicators 2023 Engagement Summary (Dec. 2023)
• Parent Aware Standards and Indicators 2024 Engagement Summary (Nov. 2024)
• Parent Aware Evaluation and One-Star Ratings Legislative Report (Dec. 2024) 

Foundational publications 

• Parent Aware Racial Equity Action Plan (Feb. 2022)
• Parent Aware Equity Engagement Report (March 2022)
• Parent Aware Equity Report (March 2022)