1. A Quality Rating System
Parent Aware
A Quality Rating System

2. What is Parent Aware? Voluntary Rating Tool
Identifies, recognize, and celebrates quality in early education
Designed by professional, child care providers and parents

3. Pilot Program
Parent Aware began as a privately funded pilot project in July of 2007
Purpose: to address the fact that in Minnesota, today nearly half of children arrive at kindergarten underprepared.

4. Pilot Program Included: Locations:
Licensed child care providers (center and home based)
Early educators
Locations:
Blue Earth and Nicollet Counties
City of St. Paul
Areas of North Minneapolis
Areas of Wayzata

5. Expansion
Minnesota Received: Race To The Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC)
“The Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge takes a holistic approach to early education, promotes innovation, and focuses on what it takes to help put young children on the path of learning, opportunity, and success.” Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services

6. Expansion RTT-ELC Grant Key
Aligning and raising standards for existing early learning and development programs
Improving training and support for the early learning workforce through evidence-based practices
Building robust evaluation systems that promote effective practices and programs to help parents make informed decisions.

7. Expansion Expansion: Starts in 2012
Continues to add counties each year
Entire state by 2015

8. Mission
Parent Aware wants all Minnesota children to be ready for kindergarten
How: By providing free, research-based tools, and resources that help parents ask important questions and make informed choices about high quality early learning opportunities

9. Partners Minnesota Department of Human Services
Minnesota Early Learning Foundation
Minnesota Child Care Resource & Referral Network
Minnesota Department of Education
Child Trends
University of Minnesota’s Center for Early Education and Development
Wilder Research
United Way

10. Why Participate
Parent Aware:
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11. Process Visit: http://www.parentawareratings.org/
Contact: Child Care Resource and Referral Agency at
Attend: Information meeting and Orientation Meeting
Receive: Coaching, training, rating, marketing tools

12. Process Accelerated Process if Accredited
Accreditations that are eligible for Four Stars Earned:
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
The Council on Accreditation (COA)
The National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA)
The American Montessori Society (AMS)
The Association Montessori International (AMI)

13. Components Points awarded in the following areas:
• Learning environment and curriculum
• Adult/child interaction
• Staff/provider education
• Tracking child progress (assessment)
• Children’s health and safety
• Family partnerships

14. Components Learning environment and curriculum
Use a curriculum aligned with the Early Childhood Indicators of Progress or Birth-3 Indicators of Progress in all classrooms
Full list of aligned curricula listed on website for Infant - Toddler and Prekindergarten

15. Components Common aligned curricula
Bank Street Developmental Interaction Approach
Creative Curriculum
Family Child Care
Preschool
Infants, Toddlers, and Twos
The High Scope
Preschool Curriculum
Infant/Toddler Curriculum
Montessori

16. Components Adult/child interaction
Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
Goal of CLASS
Positive Climate
Concept Development
Positive Climate—focuses on how teachers interact with children to develop warm relationships that promote children’s enjoyment of the classroom community.
Concept Development—focuses on how teachers interact with children to promote higher-order thinking and cognition.
Provides: Emotional Support; Classroom Organization; Instructional Support

17. Components Tracking child progress (Assessment)
Conducted at lease twice a year
Assess all areas of the Early Childhood Indicators of Progress or Birth-3 Indicators of Progress in all classrooms
Aligned assessment available of website

18. Components Common aligned assessments High/Scope
Infant-Toddler Child Observation Record
Preschool Child
Observation Record
The Ounce Scale
Teaching Strategies-Gold Assessment
Work Sampling System

19. Components Staff/provider education Educational level
Special trainings
Health and Wellness
Special needs children
Developmental areas
Cultures and socioeconomic levels differences
Nutrition, health education, obesity training, food program
Special needs children: developmental disabilities, special health needs, behavioral challenges
Developmental areas: social-emotional, language, literacy, mathematical thinking and physical development in young children
Cultures and socioeconomic levels differences

20. Components Children’s health and safety Examples:
Supporting families needs in areas of medical assistance
Public health services
Consultants

21. Components Family Partnerships Child Care Assistance Program
Minnesota Family Investment Program
Medical assistance
Public health services
Bridge to Benefits – https//mn.bridgetobenefits.org

22. Trainings Minnesota Center for Professional Development
Provides trainings
Tracks progress of each professional
Website: