Staffing requirements for licensed child care centers

Qualifications are determined by a combination of education and experience. This list of accepted post-secondary courses to determine teacher and assistant teacher qualifications in licensed child care centers is based on MN Rules, part 9503.0030, subp. 1.B. 

Resource

• Accepted College Courses to Qualify Classroom Staff DHS-7886A-ENG (PDF) (8/25)

Staff qualification variances are submitted on the Personnel tab within the Provider Hub. After the personnel record is created for the staff person and the required information is entered, the Hub will give the provider the option to request a variance. The option to request a variance will only show if the staff person does not qualify for the position entered. Additional guidance on requesting a variance is available at Variances to licensing rules.

There are two types of staff qualification variance requests:

Track 1 variances:

This type of variance is for staff who are working toward meeting one of the qualification options for director, teacher, or assistant teacher in Rule 3. Variances are granted for the staff person's experience and/or post-secondary education for a time period in which the staff person gains the experience and/or post-secondary education needed to qualify for the position.

For a Track 1 variance, the provider will be required to request the variance and upload education and experience information on the staff person’s personnel record within the Provider Hub.

Track 2 variances:

This type of variance is for staff 18 years of age or older who are not directly working toward the full qualification requirements for one of the options for director, teacher, or assistant teacher in Rule 3. For this variance type, the staff person is required to have experience working in a licensed child care center, completed a minimum number of training hours (education) from a list of approved training organizations, and commit to completing additional training each calendar year.

Eligibility for Track 2 variances

The eligibility requirements for Track 2 variances are based on the position for which the variance is being requested:

• Director: 1040 experience hours with 100 education hours.
• Teacher: 1040 experience hours (640 at the current center) with 100 education hours or 4160 experience hours (640 at the current center) with 50 education hours.
• Assistant teacher: 640 hours of experience at the current center with 50 education hours.

The education hours a staff person must complete for Track 2 variances must be from the list of approved training organizations or the list of accepted college courses to qualify classroom staff. The education must be completed within the last five years. Training in first aid, CPR, SUID, and AHT are not counted toward education hours for Track 2 variances.

When requesting a Track 2 variance, the provider will be required to request the variance and upload education and experience information on the staff person’s personnel record within the Provider Hub. Additionally, the provider will need to submit short and long term career goals for the staff person and attest that the staff person will complete additional training while the variance is in effect.

For help finding training and creating your short and long-term career goals, contact your local Child Care Aware Office for support from a Professional Development Advisor.

If the Track 2 variance is approved

Track 2 variances are granted until the end of the current calendar year and require that the staff person completes ongoing training (education) requirements from the list of approved training organizations or the list of accepted college courses to qualify classroom staff. The amount of training required is based on the position for which the Track 2 variance was granted:

• Director: 20 hours of approved trainings each calendar year
• Teacher: 14 hours of approved trainings each calendar year
• Assistant Teacher: 10 hours of approved trainings each calendar year

Licensors review the individual’s progress for ongoing training. If the individual does not complete the training as required, the variance approval may be rescinded, additional variances will not be granted, and ultimately, the individual would no longer be able to work in the position approved through the variance.

Resources:

• Licensed Providers: How to Submit a Personnel Variance
• Variances to licensing rules: General guidance on requesting a variance

For details, review the Training requirements for licensed child care centers page.

Forms and resources

• Training Requirements for Licensed Child Care Centers (PDF) (12/19)
• In-service Training Record DHS-7952A (PDF) (11/20)
• Orientation Record DHS-7953A (PDF) (3/22)

For details, see the Minnesota child care provider background studies page.

Resource

• Child Care Centers Background Study Worksheet: Is a background study required? DHS-7733A (PDF)

Forms and resources

• Checklist for Personnel Records for Licensed Childcare Centers DHS-8228 (PDF) (3/24)
• Personnel Information Form DHS-7994 (PDF) (9/23)
• Summary of Personnel Information for Licensed Child Care Centers DHS-4681 (PDF) (5/22)