In a city with some of the highest child care costs in California, some San Francisco families can save thousands on child care. Here are all the details.
Here's what to know
San Francisco offers multiple levels of child care support through its Early Learning For All network, or ELFA. As KQED reported, the program serves children from birth to age 5, covers full tuition for families earning up to 110% of the area median income, and includes partial aid for some households above that level.
For families above the free tuition cutoff, KQED reported that households earning 111% to 150% of the area median income can get credits that pay for most child care or preschool tuition, though they may still owe a co-pay or extra fees for extended hours. Starting in the 2026-27 fiscal year, which began July 1, families at 151% to 200% of area median income can apply for a 50% tuition discount.
How much families save depends on the child's age. KQED reported that monthly savings can be as high as $3,027 for infants, $2,306 for toddlers, and $2,115 for preschoolers. Even the 50% discount can lower costs by more than $1,000 a month.
Families can only use this assistance if they enroll in one of the roughly 560 early learning programs that are part of the ELFA network.
More background
Who qualifies is determined by household size and gross income. Jonathan Rubinsky, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood, told KQED that families can confirm their income with either prior-year tax records or their most recent pay stubs.
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Every provider in ELFA must comply with state licensing rules, including staff background checks, pediatric CPR and first aid training, and child-to-staff ratio requirements.
Meenoo Yashar, deputy director of early learning at the city's Department of Early Childhood, said ELFA providers are expected to offer a "welcoming, culturally responsive environment" and a "rich learning environment with lots of opportunities for children to do exploratory play," per KQED.
What's being done?
KQED reported that the program is funded with city business tax revenue along with state and federal money. San Francisco is also using ELFA to support the child care workforce by offering in-network providers the means to increase wages for teaching staff, providing funding for facility upgrades, and granting access to coaching, professional development, and mental health consultants.
Teacher retention in the city has been comparatively stronger, according to a UC Berkeley study cited by KQED. The study found turnover among teachers and assistant teachers in San Francisco was 17% — meaning it is 23% to 35% lower than in other parts of California.
Yashar said, "If you're getting better paid, hopefully you're going to stay in your job."
Families can use the Department of Early Childhood's online portal, get assistance from one of the city's child care resource and referral agencies, or contact a participating program directly. Parents can also compare providers by location, hours, price, openings, educational style and licensing history.
When a preferred center or family child care home has no openings, Yashar said families should still reach out and ask to be placed on a waitlist.
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