If your family is in need of a scholarship to help with preschool tuition, a Pathway I Early Learning Scholarship application must be completed and submitted directly to the Families First of Minnesota office in Rochester Minnesota.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Families First of Minnesota communicates directly with families, they do not provide application status or scholarship award information directly to Circle of Friends Preschool. Be sure to keep our office updated on the progress of your application and the award status.
How do I apply for an Early Learning Scholarship?
To apply for a Pathway I – Early Learning Scholarship, the legal guardian of the child must follow these steps:
- Print and complete the application. Please be sure that all required areas have been completed and the application has been signed in ink. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.
- Include required proof of income either Option 1 or Option 2, listed on the application. The application will be returned if appropriate documents are not provided.
- Submit your original application to the Families First office in-person or by mail to: Families First of Minnesota | Early Learning Scholarships | 126 Woodlake Drive SE | Rochester, MN 55904
(Faxed or emailed applications will not be considered for a scholarship)
If you have questions about this application or scholarship program, please contact Families First of Minnesota directly: 1-888-450-2773 (Carver, Dakota and Scott County residents).
List of Area Administrators and eligibility criteria
Fiscal Year 2021 Early Learning Scholarships
The Early Learning Scholarship Program awards scholarships of up to $7,500 to high-need families meeting eligibility requirements. Starting on July 1, 2020, children in a priority status will be eligible for a higher cap.
A family’s income must be equal to or less than 185 percent of the federal poverty level, per the chart below, or be participating in any of the following programs: free and reduced-price lunch, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), Food Distribution on Indian Reservations, Head Start, Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), Supplemental Nutritional Aid Program (SNAP), or Foster Care.
Scholarships are prioritized to first meet the needs of children of teen parents, currently in foster care, in need of child protective services, or who have experienced homelessness in the last 24 months.
The chart below is based on the poverty guidelines published in the Federal Register on February 1, 2019.
| Family Size |
Gross Income |
Family Size |
Gross Income |
| 2 |
$31,894 |
6 |
$65,046 |
| 3 |
$40,182 |
7 |
$73,344 |
| 4 |
$48,470 |
8 |
$80,346 |
| 5 |
$56,758 |
9* |
$81,662 |
*For family units of more than nine members, add $8,288 for each additional member.
Scholarships are available to children who are age 3 or 4 years old on September 1 of the school year the scholarship is used, or age 5 if not yet aged out of eligibility. Families interested in applying should contact their area or tribal administrator listed or call 1-888-291- 9811.
