2026 Minnesota Statutes

142H.05 DIRECTORS.

Subdivision 1.General requirements for a director.

(a) A center must have a director who is responsible for overseeing implementation of written policies relating to the management and control of the daily activities of the program, ensuring the health and safety of program participants, and supervising staff and volunteers.

(b) A director must:

(1) be at least 21 years old;

(2) be a graduate of a high school or hold an equivalent diploma attained through successful completion of the commissioner of education-selected high school equivalency test pursuant to section 124D.549;

(3) have at least 1,040 hours of paid or unpaid staff supervision experience; and

(4) have at least 12 semester credits in accredited coursework in postsecondary child development education, supervision, management, administration, or leadership or 120 hours of training earned in the topics of child development, supervision, management, administration, or leadership.

(c) Paragraph (b), clauses (3) and (4), are satisfied if an individual has completed a Minnesota Association for the Education of Young Children early childhood director's credential; Child Care Aware Minnesota director's credential; Montessori administrator credential; or diploma issued by the American Montessori Society, Association Montessori International, or an institution accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education.

Subd. 2.Director or designee on site.

(a) The director or a designee must be on site while the center is in operation.

(b) Any program staff person who is at least 18 years old may serve as the designee. The designee does not have to meet the director qualifications in subdivision 1 but must be aware of the designation and be able to perform the responsibilities.

Subd. 3.Director functioning as a teacher.

Notwithstanding section 142H.06, a director may be used as a teacher in any classroom as needed.

Subd. 4.Incumbent director recognition.

Notwithstanding subdivision 1, an individual who is designated as the director of a licensed child care center on July 1, 2027, meets the director qualification requirements of this section as long as the individual continues to work at the program.

History:

2026 c 127 art 12 s 5

NOTE: This chapter, as added by Laws 2026, chapter 127, article 12, sections 1 to 37, is effective July 1, 2027. Laws 2026, chapter 127, article 12, section 41.