Head Start and Early Head Start in San Francisco, CA
34 centers in San Francisco. 24 offer Early Head Start, from pregnancy to age 3, and 29 offer Head Start preschool for ages 3 to 5. You apply through 3 programs, which report 990 funded slots here. It's free if you qualify.
Source: Office of Head Start service locations, as of October 2026. Each program reports its own sites, so call before you visit. Closed sites are left out.
Who qualifies in California
$27,320a year or less for a family of three, or $33,000 for four. That's the 2026 federal poverty line, Head Start's income limit.
You also qualify at any income if you get TANF or SSI, your child is in foster care, or your family is homeless.
Sources: 45 CFR 1302.12; HHS poverty guidelines
Poverty guidelines for every family sizeCenters in San Francisco
Listed A to Z. A center may serve only some ages; the tags show which programs it runs.
Chinatown Little Sprouts Early Learning Center
Early Head Start831 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 677-0100Joy Lok FRC - Socialization site #1
Early Head Start880 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 677-0100Kirkwood Child Development Center
Early Head StartHead Start729 Kirkwood Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124
(415) 822-5611Lok Yuen Child Development Center
Early Head StartHead Start888 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 321-3841MNC Bayview Children's Campus
Early Head StartHead Start1337 Evans Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124
(415) 701-1995MNC Helen Fabela Chavez
Early Head StartHead Start1240 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 206-7752North Beach Center
Early Head StartHead Start1170 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 931-1088Ocean Early Learning Center
Early Head StartHead Start1820 Alemany Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94112
(415) 230-7508Scotia Early Learning Center
Early Head StartHead Start175 Scotia Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124
(415) 285-3603Sunnydale Early Learning Center
Early Head StartHead Start1530 Sunnydale Ave, San Francisco, CA 94134
(415) 321-4844
Where to apply in San Francisco
You apply to the program, not to one center. Each number here is the program's enrollment line: staff check whether you qualify, tell you which centers have room, and add you to the waiting list if they're full. Counts are centers in San Francisco.
- (415) 230-7508
Wu Yee Children's Services
- (415) 920-0122
Mission Neighborhood Centers, Inc.
- (415) 982-4777 ext. 300
Kai Ming, Inc.
New to Head Start? Who qualifies, what it costs and how applying works
Help paying for child care
- Child care assistance (subsidies) by stateWhen Head Start is full or your income is a little higher
- 2026 federal poverty guidelinesThe income table Head Start uses
- Child care cost by countyWhat daycare costs in California
- How much childcare costsCenter, home daycare and nanny prices
- WIC income limitsFood help for pregnancy and children under 5