Yes, SOMACC is aware of the shortage of early care and education spaces in San Francisco and the often lengthy wait times to access services.

While we would love to accept every child who applies for admission to SOMACC, we must adhere to strict licensing capacity and enrollment guidelines, which is why we have a waitlist for families wishing to enroll their children in our schools.

Families have the option to be waitlisted at both of our schools and for multiple SOMACC programs. We will contact you if an opening arises and your child is the next eligible applicant for admission.

The length of the waitlist varies. Typically, the waitlist is significantly longer for children ages 0-2 years compared to older children, due to fewer available spaces, lower ratios, and a greater community need. Additionally, slots are divided between private tuition-paying and state-subsidized enrollment.

The number of applicants on the waitlist in each program fluctuates as new applications are submitted and older applications roll over when children reach the age that qualifies them for the next program.

The wait time varies and is difficult to predict. Unfortunately, we cannot provide specific information about how quickly our waitlist will progress, an applicant's "place" or "number" on the list, or the likelihood of enrollment.

SOMACC prioritizes enrollment consideration for different populations, so families without priority can expect a longer wait time.

Your wait time and position on the waitlist are influenced by several factors, including your child's age group, classroom openings and needs, the number of children exiting the program in that age group, priority applicants, applications that have rolled over, your application date, and your preferred start date.

Waiting times for children ages 0-2 years can range from nearly a year to several years. Our pre-K program (for 3.5 to 5+ year-olds) may have openings for children in less than 6 to 12 months. Other age groups may have varying wait times. Please note that these timeframes reflect average wait times.

We strongly recommend submitting a waitlist application as early as possible, regardless of when you plan to send your child to school. For some families, this might be as soon as they learn they are expecting. The earlier you get on the list before needing a space, the better your chances of being offered a spot close to your desired start date.

Please note that we do not accept applications from non-expectant parents.

Although we accept applications before families visit our school(s), we strongly urge all parents of prospective students to tour our facilities (or take a virtual tour) and thoroughly read the information on our website. This will provide an overview of our programs and philosophies, helping you determine if SOMACC is a suitable fit for your child's and family's needs, as well as whether our mission, values, and philosophies align with yours.

While we encourage families to apply early to be placed on the waitlist, the date of application is only one of several factors considered by SOMACC when making admissions decisions.

Given the high demand for enrollment at SOMACC, as evidenced by our long waitlist, being on the waitlist does not guarantee a spot in our programs. However, it does increase your chances when an opening becomes available.

Unfortunately, we cannot predict an applicant’s chances of acceptance, as our classes have different needs each year. Additionally, all applicants 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, child, and family are a suitable fit.

Due to the shortage of early care and education spaces in the community, SOMACC’s limited capacity, and the frequent long wait times to access services, we recommend that you tour and apply to multiple schools to give yourself more options.

Yes, priority enrollment consideration is provided to the following:

1. Children from low-income households, those at risk of abuse or neglect, and those who have been homeless or have lived in shelters. These families are selected from the Early Learning SF waiting list, which is a county-wide consolidated childcare subsidy database. Eligibility requirements must be met.
   
   * SOMACC maintains a total enrollment of at least 55% subsidized and 45% private throughout our two schools.

2. Children of current full-time SOMACC employees

3. Siblings of current SOMACC students

4. Children whose parent(s) work for CB1, CB2, or CB3 businesses in the Yerba Buena Gardens project area (for YBG CDC waitlist only). Employment verification is required.

While priority families are given consideration, enrollment is not guaranteed. A spot will only be offered if the family is eligible for the classroom opening and both SOMACC and the family are a good fit. Siblings of current students may enroll if their families are in good standing with the school.

We thoroughly review applications and consider various factors, including age and development, application date, preferred start date, learning style, social skills, classroom needs and dynamics, as well as concerns for gender balance and student diversity. We also assess the compatibility of potential families with SOMACC in terms of our mission, values, and philosophies.

Certain populations are given priority enrollment consideration.

No, each child requires a separate application form and a $100.00 non-refundable and non-transferable application fee.

An email confirmation will be sent to the parents to confirm receipt of the application form and fee, as well as to notify you if your application is incomplete. A response containing the required information is required to complete your application.

Your application date will also be noted in the email confirmation for completed applications.

If you submitted an application and have not received a confirmation email within a week, please contact Joy Wi at joy@somacc.org.

Please note that all applications and fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

The application date is the day we receive your completed application form along with the required application fee. This date is an important factor in determining your admission consideration precedence.

To avoid delays in your application process, please ensure that the application is completed legibly and that all questions are answered.

SOMACC is open year-round (August through July). Our enrollment process is structured so that the majority of new students begin in August each year, coinciding with the transition of pre-K children to kindergarten and the movement of remaining children to their new classrooms.

Since we are open year-round, we have rolling admissions. If spots become available at other times of the year, we admit children from our internal waitlist or the county-wide waitlist. The frequency of these openings and the specific age groups affected can vary, and the number of openings changes from year to year.

You will remain on the waitlist without paying any further fees unless you request removal, do not respond to our communication attempts, or your child has aged out of the programs you applied for.

We will periodically send you an email to check in. You must respond within the specified time limit to either reconfirm your interest in remaining on the waitlist or inform us that you are no longer interested. Please also notify us of any changes to the information you provided since your application.

If we do not hear from you or are unable to contact you, your child's application will be removed from the waitlist. Please ensure your contact information is always up to date.

If you have already been removed from the waitlist and wish to be reinstated, you must reapply.

If you selected other programs when you applied, your application will automatically roll over to the next program that your child qualifies for based on their age. Your application date will remain the same.

If you only selected one program and your child reaches the age limit for that program, your application will be removed from the waitlist.

We recommend selecting all applicable programs on the application form to increase your chances of being considered for admission as your child grows older while on the waitlist.

You may receive offers, notifications, and check-ins throughout the school year. It is very important to respond promptly if you receive a notice, especially regarding an opening or your continued interest in joining SOMACC.

If you do not respond within the specified timeframe or we are unable to contact you, we will assume that you are no longer interested or that you are no longer in the SOMACC/San Francisco area. In this case, your application will be removed from the waitlist, and you will no longer be contacted regarding available spaces.

If you have already been removed from the waitlist and wish to be reinstated, you must reapply.

It is your responsibility to keep your contact information and other details provided in your application up to date with SOMACC (e.g., child's date of birth, parents' contact and employment information, child's current care, etc.). Outdated information or changes in your application could affect your eligibility and chances of enrollment, potentially resulting in removal from the waitlist.

If you decline an enrollment offer, you may still remain on the waitlist with a new desired start date. We cannot, However, we cannot reserve the space for you unless it is paid for. We also cannot guarantee that a space will be available for you later.

Flexibility is key! It is uncommon to find an opening that precisely matches your desired school or start date. When completing your application form, be sure to check all applicable programs and/or schools. If you are invited to a dialogue and school visit, or if you are offered admission, it’s important to accept it right away, as there is no guarantee that another space will become available for you in the future.

You are welcome to contact us every 6 to 12 months to express your continued interest and update your application as needed. Please note that frequent phone calls and emails will not expedite your admission into SOMACC. We adhere to a specific protocol to ensure fairness while following our priority and admission policies.

For more accurate information, please direct your questions to the following individuals:

• Joy Wi, joy@somacc.org
(For private tuition-paying waitlist and enrollment)

• Rabiya Shaikh, rabiya@somacc.org
(For subsidized waitlist and enrollment)