The early childhood years from birth to the start of kindergarten are an important time of rapid growth and learning.  To support children’s development and assist in preparation for kindergarten entry, early childhood education programs and services are offered throughout Minnesota school districts and Head Start locations for children birth to five years and their families. These programs are administered by the Minnesota Department of Education and include Early Childhood Family Education, Early Childhood Screening, Early Head Start, Head Start, Infant and Toddler Intervention/Preschool Special Education and the School Readiness program.

Find Local Program Information
Early Childhood Screening, Head Start, Even Start, Early Childhood Family Education and School Readiness programs. Search online by county, school district or city to find early childhood programs.

The Minnesota Department of Education's (MDE) Early Learning Services Division offers information and resources for families that support learning and development for their children's future success in school through the state of Minnesota parent website – www.MNParentsKnow.info . In partnership with the Working Family Resource Center, MDE offers weekly podcasts and monthly webinars about a variety of topics focusing on children’s development and learning for parents and their families. These recorded podcasts and webinars are accessed from the Minnesota Parents Know website.

Introducing the new Minnesota Office of Early Learning!
Through a coordinated effort with the Minnesota Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, the Office of Early Learning (OEL) will lead the alignment of Minnesota’s programs and services for young children. The Office “opened” in late August 2011 with the hiring of OEL Director Dr. Karen Cadigan, who reports directly to the Commissioner of Education.

The OEL brings together staff from multiple agencies around common goals. The Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge goals and Minnesota’s resulting State Plan compliment and accelerate the OEL’s activities. Joining together MDE’s early childhood and parenting education programs with other services such as the Department of Health’s Early Childhood Systems grant, the Women Infants and Children Program (WIC), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Foster Care, and the Department of Human Services’ child development services and child care assistance allows for important connections for programs and services to improve children’s outcomes and readiness for kindergarten.

Document Download:

• Head Start Program Aligned Indicators 
  A chart aligning the Head Start Program with indicators for the pilot quality rating system.
• No Better Time - Starting Early For School Success 
  A plan for integrating Minnesota's current early childhood education and child care programs along a continuum of services in order to support children's early learning and development.
• Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota's Early Learning Standards 
  A framework for a common set of developmentally appropriate expectations for children ages three to five, within a context of shared responsibility for helping children meet these expectations.
• All Our Children: Outcomes and Indicators 
  A resource brochure to assist community programs in identifying measurements of progress that promote child focused communities. (1997)