minnesota training requirements

Requirements can differ from one program to another. All licensed programs are required to follow the staff qualifications set by the State of Minnesota. These licensing standards are minimum requirements. They are not indicators of quality. As a result, professional organizations like the National Association for the Education of Young Children have established voluntary standards that represent high quality programming for children. The staff qualifications set by professional organization often suggest more training and experience than required by law.

Child Care Center Staff

The Minnesota Department of Human Services licenses child care centers. Refer to Minnesota licensing standards for child care centers at: http://nrc.uchsc.edu/minnesota/mn_2TOC.htm or http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/Licensing/ChildCareCenters.htm.

According to Rule III the teacher education and experience requirements are as follows: A teacher with the credential listed in column A must have the education and experience listed in column B.

Column A	Column B
(1) A high school or General Education Development(GED) diploma	Experience: 4,160 hours as assistant teacher. Education: 16 semester credits*
(2) Diploma from Association Montessori International; preprimary credential, primary diploma, or provisional certificate from the American Montessori Society, without a baccalaureate degree	Experience: 2,080 hours as assistant teacher, aide, or student intern. Education: 8 semester credits*
(3) Preprimary credential, primary diploma, or, provisional certificate from the American Montessori Society; or diploma from the Association Montessori International with a baccalaureate degree	Experience: 1,040 hours as assistant teacher, aide, or student intern. Education: no additional required
(4) Minnesota Technical College certificate as a Child Development Assistant*	Experience: 2,080 hours as an assistant teacher. Education: 4 semester credits*
(5) Child Development Associate credential(center based or family day care) for preschool or for infants and toddlers from the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition	Experience: 1,560 hours as assistant teacher, aide, or student intern Education: no additional required
(6) License from the Minnesota Department of Children Families, and Learning for Prekindergarten Associate; or an A.A.S degree or an A.S. degree* from a two-year program from an accredited community college or technical college in child development or early childhood education	Experience: 1,040 hours as assistant teacher, aide, or student intern. Education: 4 semester credits*
(7) Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in any field	Experience: 1,040 hours as assistant teacher, aide, or student intern. Education: 12 semester credits*
(8) License from the Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning for elementary education without kindergarten endorsement	Experience: 520 hours as assistant teacher, aide, or student intern if teaching children under school age. Education: 4 semester credits* within one year of initial employment if teaching children under school age
(9) License from the Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning for prekindergarten/ nursery, or a license from the Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning for, elementary education with a kindergarten endorsement	Experience: no additional required Education: no additional required

* the degree titles and credit numbers have been edited by E-LECT to reflect current titles and semester credits. The licensing standards have not been updated to reflect current higher education practices in Minnesota.

Many centers have chosen to seek accreditation from the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs. This is a national, voluntary, professionally sponsored accreditation system to help raise the quality of all types of preschools, kindergartens, child care centers, and school-age child care programs. Here are the staff qualifications adapted from the Accreditation Criteria & Procedures of the National Association for the Education of Young Children:

Staff Qualifications and Professional Development

The program is staffed by adults who understand child and family development and who recognize and meet the developmental and learning needs of children and families.
Staff who work directly with children are 18 years of age or older and demonstrate the appropriate personal characteristics for working with children as exemplified in the criteria for Interactions among Teachers and Children (Component A) and Curriculum (Component B).
Early Childhood Teacher Assistants (staff who implement program activities under direct supervision) are high school graduates or the equivalent, have been trained in Early Childhood Education/Child Development, and/or participate in ongoing professional development programs.
Early Childhood Teachers (staff who are responsible for the care and education of a group of children from birth through age 5) have at least a CDA Credential or an associate degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development or equivalent, preferably teachers have Baccalaureate Degrees in Early Childhood Development/Child Development.
The administrator has expertise (acquired through formal education and experience) in both Early Childhood Education/Child Development and administration such as Human Resource and Financial Management.
In programs serving infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and/or kindergartners an Early Childhood Specialist (an individual with at least a Baccalaureate Degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development and three years of full-time teaching experience with young children and/or a graduate degree in Early Childhood Education/Child Development) is employed to direct the educational program (may be the Director or other appropriate person, such as Education Coordinator, Curriculum Specialist, or Assistant Director).

For more information about center accreditation, go to the accreditation page on the NAEYC web site at: http://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/naeyc_accred/info_general.asp