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Programs Public School Prekindergarten Resources

Public School Prekindergarten Resources

Resources for Public School Prekindergarten Programs.

An Accelerated Pathway is available to all eligible public school prekindergarten programs that meet Minnesota statutes 124D.15 program and supervision requirements. All sites that would like to be considered for a Rating under the Accelerated Pathway must meet the requirements, including extended day or wrap around child care services.

Not sure if you should be participating in Accelerated Pathway? Read more about the Rating Pathways.

Send completed application materials to support@parentaware.zendesk.com or mail to:

Child Care Aware of Minnesota
Attn: Parent Aware Rating Team
10 River Park Plaza, Suite 820
St. Paul, MN 55107

Participation Agreement

Download the Participation Agreement. Read and sign. Signatures are required from a licensed early childhood coordinator and school district administrator.

Program Changes

We know programs expand, move, and close locations based on the needs of their community. If you have any changes to your program during the two-year Rating cycle, districts must submit a Parent Aware Addendum Application to indicate those changes.

Application

Before you begin, watch the short Parent Aware Ratings for Public School Districts webinar and view the Quick Guide: Parent Aware Rating Process for Districts/Charter Schools in the Accelerated Pathway for an overview of the process.

Program Identification Information: Download the Application and complete it.

Site information: The site area on the application refers to the building name of your site. Sites may include formal partnerships with child care or community organizations, only if they meet the School Readiness statute or are a Head Start program. If a site has been certified through the Minnesota Department of Human Services, include the certification number on the application. If you have changed the name of the site since your last Rating, please include the former name and indicate if that site has closed.

Curriculum and Assessment Information: All programs must use a Parent Aware approved curriculum and assessment tool.

  • If you use a Parent Aware aligned curriculum and assessment tool, enter the names of tools on the application. You are not required to submit copies of the tools.
  • If the curriculum or assessment tool that your district uses is not on the Parent Aware approved list, but was previously approved, write “site designed and approved” or “bundle of tools” in this section on the applications. You are required to submit the Parent Aware Nomination approval letter.
  • If you use a tool that is not on the Parent Aware approved tool list and it is not approved, you must complete and submit either or both a Parent Aware Curriculum Nomination and/or Assessment Nomination form. This process may take up to six-eight weeks for approval.

Staff Development Information: Only individual lead staff are required to submit training verification in the last five years from the signature date of this application. Provide all lead teachers’ names, trainings, and hours on the Parent Aware Training Inventory. State of Minnesota age-appropriate licensed teachers* are required to submit their teacher license, along with ten hours of training in the Knowledge and Competency Framework Assessment, Evaluation, and Individualization, KCF IVa-IVb. Age appropriate licenses are:

  • 180102 – Prekindergarten
  • 180103 – Prekindergarten and Kindergarten
  • 180105 – Pre-Primary
  • 180150 – Early Childhood Education
  • 180402 – Family Education/Early Childhood Educator
  • 190500 – Early Childhood Special Education

Teachers who do not have a Minnesota age-appropriate teaching license are required to submit ten hours of training in the Knowledge and Competency Framework (KCF) Developmentally Appropriate Learning Experiences IIa-IIe and ten hours of Assessment, Evaluation and Individualization IVa-IVb. Please list all lead teachers on both training inventories. Both inventories must be submitted even if all teachers hold one of the appropriate licenses.

Programs must provide training documentation for each individual working at the site. Training verification may include a certificate of attendance, sign in sheet with certificate of attendance for multiple staff, and/or a professional development database record. Review the MDE Parent Aware Training Guidance and the MDE Parent Aware Training Requirement webinar.