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 the new changes to be announced in 2025. The review process will 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.
Multiple opportunities for partners to provide feedback on the Standards and Indicators have been provided. The first round of feedback was in 2023 and the second round was in 2024. The changes will be announced in 2025 and will begin to be implemented in 2026. Key updates will be added periodically to this page.
Parent Aware began as a pilot in 2007. Since then the Standards and Indicators have been updated twice to help ensure children receive the best care:
In 2012, the Minnesota Legislature directed the state to use the pilot evaluation results to update the Standards and Indicators.
In 2015, Parent Aware became available statewide. A second evaluation of the program was completed in February 2016. A process to update the Standards and Indicators was conducted alongside this evaluation, with the final set of updates released in August 2016.
This will be the third update to the Standards and Indicators
Join us as a Parent Aware Redesign Ambassador to receive email updates on the Parent Aware Redesign work. You can also email your questions to dhs.child.care@state.mn.us.
