Yes.
SOMACC is aware of the shortage of early care and education spaces in San Francisco and of the frequent long wait periods to gain access to service. While we would love to accept each child who applies for entry into SOMACC, we must adhere to strict licensing capacity and enrollment guidelines, hence we maintain a waiting list of families interested to enroll in our schools. Families may choose to have their child on the waitlist for more than one SOMACC program and school. If we have a possible opening for your child, we will contact you.
The length of the waitlist varies, but it is generally longer for children 0-2 years. SOMACC has a small Infant and Toddler Program with only nine infants and 8-12 toddlers enrolled at a time.
Moreover, some of our infant and toddler slots go to the state subsidized enrollment. This means that our Infant and Toddler Program is even much smaller for private enrollment than our licensed and enrollment capacity.
The number of applicants waitlisted in each program changes frequently as a result of continuous submission of new applications (an average of 2-3 per week) and old applications rolling over as children age that would qualify them for the next program.
We strongly recommend submitting a waitlist application as early as possible to be placed on our waitlist regardless of when you are planning to send your child to school. The majority of our applicants submit their applications while pregnant. We do not accept applications from non-expectant parents.
Although we accept applications prior to touring our school(s), we still strongly urge all parents of prospective students to visit us (if tours are available) and/or thoroughly read the information on our website to get an overview of our programs and philosophies, and to have your questions answered. This will help you in your decision making process whether SOMACC is a good fit in meeting the needs of your child and your family, and if our mission, values and philosophies align with yours.
While we encourage families to apply early in order to be placed on the waitlist, the date of application is just one factor in SOMACC’s admissions decision.
No. A separate application form and a $75.00 non-refundable and non-transferable application fee are required for each individual child.
An email confirmation will be sent to the parents to confirm receipt of the application form and fee, and if applicable, to notify you if your application is incomplete. A response with the needed information is necessary to complete your application.
An application is incomplete if it is not fully and accurately filled out, if the handwriting is illegible, and/or if it is not accompanied by a non-refundable and non-transferable application fee of $75.00.
For complete applications, your application date will also be stated in the email confirmation.
If you submitted an application and have not received a confirmation email, please contact joy@somacc.org.
All submitted applications and fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
The application date is the date when we physically received your COMPLETED application form with the required application fee. It is one of the significant factors that is considered to determine your admission consideration precedence.
Please complete the application legibly and make sure that all questions are answered to avoid delay in your application process.
Given the tremendous interest in SOMACC's schools as evident on our significantly long waitlist, BEING ON THE WAITLIST DOES NOT GUARANTEE ENROLLMENT IN OUR PROGRAMS, but it certainly increases your chances when an opening becomes available. We unfortunately cannot predict an applicant’s chances for admission since our classes have unique needs each year. Moreover, everyone who is considered for enrollment must go through the Dialogue and School Visit process, which allows parents and SOMACC staff to learn more about each other and determine if the school, the child, and the family are a good fit.
Due to the shortage of early care and education spaces in the community, SOMACC’s limited capacity, and of the frequent long wait periods to gain access to service, we advise you to tour and apply to multiple schools to give yourself options.
Yes. Priority enrollment consideration is given to:
Children from low-income families and/or at risk for abuse, neglect, and those who have experienced periods of homelessness or lived in shelters. The families are obtained from the Early Learning SF waiting list, a county-wide centralized child care subsidy database. Meeting the eligibility requirements is required.
SOMACC maintains a total enrollment of at least 55% subsidized and 45% private across our two schools.
Children of SOMACC employees
Siblings of current SOMACC students
Children whose parent(s) work for CB1, CB2, CB3 businesses within the Yerba Buena Gardens project area
(for YBG CDC waitlist only). Proof of employment is required
A priority family is also not guaranteed enrollment and will only be offered a slot if they are eligible for the classroom opening and if both SOMACC and the family are a good fit for each other.
It is impossible for us to predict how quickly our waitlist will progress. Therefore, we cannot give specific information on the wait time, an applicant's "place” or “number” on the wait list or the probability of being enrolled.
Your position on the waitlist and your wait time are dependent on factors such as our priority applicants, applications that rolled over, classroom openings and needs, your child’s age, your application date, etc.
SOMACC and all its schools are open year-round (August through July). Our enrollment process is designed so that the bulk of new students enter in the summer and fall each year, when the Pre-K children graduate to go to Kindergarten and all the remaining children move "up" to their new rooms.
We admit children into our program from our waitlist if spaces become available at other times of the year. How often this occurs and in what age group are not predictable. The number of openings vary each year.
You will remain on the waitlist without needing to pay any additional fee until you ask us to remove you, we cannot get a hold of you after numerous attempts, or when your child is already over-aged for the programs you applied for.
We will periodically send an email to check in with you. You MUST reply to this email within the given time frame to either reconfirm your interest to remain in the waitlist or to inform us that you are no longer interested. You MUST also update us if there have been changes in the information that you provided since you applied.
If we do not receive a response from you or we cannot contact you, your child's application will be removed from our waitlist. We can reactivate applications anytime, but your application date will change to the date when you contacted us.
If you also chose the other programs, your application will automatically roll over to the next program where your child qualifies for by his/her date of birth. Your application date remains the same.
We encourage you to choose all the programs on the application form (if applicable) to still have a chance of being considered for admissions as your child ages while on the waitlist.
Applicants are carefully reviewed. We consider a host of variables including age and development, application date, start date preference, learning style, social skills, classroom needs and dynamics, and a concern for gender balance and student diversity. We also consider the match between prospective families and SOMACC in the areas of our mission, values and philosophies.
The parents/guardians will be contacted via email/phone, and will be invited for a dialogue with their child. Once we determine that both the family and SOMACC are a good fit for each other and that we will be able to meet the needs of the child and the family, an enrollment slot will be offered.
Priority enrollment consideration is also given to certain families who meet the criteria mentioned above.
Within the school year, you may receive offers, notifications and/or check ins. It is very important to respond quickly should a notice be received, especially about an open space or your continued interest to join SOMACC. If we do not receive a response from you within the given time frame or we cannot contact you, we assume you are no longer interested or you may no longer be within the SOMACC/San Francisco area. When this happens, we will deactivate your application in order to keep our waitlist current, and we will move on to the next eligible applicant on the waitlist. If you find that you have been deactivated and would like to be put back on the list, please contact joy@somacc.org. We can reactivate applications anytime, but your application date will change to the date when you contacted us.
It is your responsibility to always keep your contact information and other information provided on your application up to date with SOMACC (i.e. information on child’s birth, parents’ employment, child’s current care, etc.). Outdated information or certain changes in your application may affect your eligibility and chances for enrollment, and can result to your removal from the waiting list.
If you defer an enrollment offer, you may remain on the waitlist. We cannot, however, reserve a slot for you. We also cannot guarantee that a slot will be available for you at a later time. In order for your application date to stay the same, you MUST respond within the time frame that was given to you. Otherwise, your application date will change to the date when you contacted us.
Flexibility is the key! It is rare to have an opening that exactly matches your ideal start date or your choice of school. When you fill out an application form, check all the programs (if applicable) and/or schools. If you are invited for a dialogue and/or you receive an enrollment offer, it is best to accept it at that time because there is no guarantee that a spot will be available for you again in the future.
For private waitlist and enrollment, please contact joy@somacc.org.
For subsidized waitlist and enrollment (Early Learning SF - Children’s Council), please contact rabiya@somacc.org.