Insights on QRIS from Six States & a Literature Review

In March 2022, Child Trends contracted with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to conduct an independent evaluation of Parent Aware, Minnesota’s quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for early care and education (ECE) programs. The evaluation, required by the 2021 Minnesota Legislature, includes several research activities aimed at assessing the effectiveness of Parent Aware in supporting the state’s children, families, and ECE workforce. This brief summarizes work completed for two activities conducted for the evaluation—a literature review and interviews with QRIS administrators in six states—and provides considerations for DHS in their ongoing efforts to refine and improve Parent Aware.