Join Early Learning For All
The 2026 Open Application Period is April 30 - June 30.
Thank you for your interest in joining the Early Learning For All network! DEC is committed to providing access to high-quality, affordable early learning experiences for all San Francisco children and their families. Our application and quality validation processes are designed to ensure that all programs in our network meet the needs of the communities we serve and set children up for success in kindergarten and beyond. Please read the information below carefully to learn more.
Considerations for Joining Early Learning For All
Programs that join our network:
- Can offer free and/or discounted enrollment to eligible families.
- Have access to a wide variety of exclusive professional development, training, coaching, and educational advancement opportunities for their educators.
- Benefit from DEC’s Workforce Compensation and Workforce Development programs.
- Have access to wrap-around supports for their students such as developmental screening, early intervention support, early childhood mental consultation, child health nurses and more.
While there are many benefits to joining the Early Learning for All network, there are also many requirements that programs must adhere to. Before applying to the Early Learning for All network, please consider whether your program is willing and able to:
- Serve all San Francisco families, while prioritizing children from low-income households, children with special needs, children involved in the child welfare system or at risk of abuse or neglect, and children experiencing homelessness.
- Take part in required financial reporting, data reporting, and program monitoring.
- Follow the Early Learning for All Program Operating Guidelines, including meeting and maintaining Quality Standards and participating in ongoing quality improvement.
- Comply with all applicable city, state, and federal laws, policies and legislation.
- Note: As per the San Francisco Controller’s Cost Categorization Policy and our Program Operating Guidelines, public funds are not allowed to be used for religious worship, instruction, or proselytization.
- Stay engaged with DEC by regularly checking emails, attending meetings and completing surveys.
Eligibility Requirements
Who is eligible to apply?
In order to apply for the Early Learning For All network you must:
- Be a licensed Family Child Care home or Early Education Center located in San Francisco serving children ages birth to five.
- Be in good standing with California Community Care Licensing Division
- Have at least 25% of your licensed capacity currently enrolled with children ages 0–5. Small family child care homes must have at least two children currently enrolled, and large family child care homes must have at least three children currently enrolled.
- Meet teaching qualifications as follows:
- FCC Owner
12 ECE units including:
- Child Growth and Development (3 units)
- Intro to Early Childhood Curriculum (3 units)
- Child, Family, and Community (3 units)
- ECE elective for educator providing instruction and supervision to children (3 units)
- Center Director/ Site Supervisor
Option 1:
An Associate Degree which includes 24 ECE units with core courses:
- Child Growth and Development (3 units)
- Intro to Early Childhood Curriculum (3 units)
- Child, Family, and Community (3 units)
- ECE elective for educator providing instruction and supervision to children (3 units)
plus, ECE management/ administration (6 units)
plus, ECE supervision (2 units)
Option 2:
An active California CTC Site Supervisor Permit
- Center Lead Teachers
Option 1:
24 ECE units including core courses:
- Child Growth and Development (3 units)
- Intro to Early Childhood Curriculum (3 units)
- Child, Family, and Community (3 units)
- ECE elective for educator providing instruction and supervision to children (3 units)
plus, General Education (16 units)
Option 2:
An active California CTC Teacher Permit
- Meet ratio and group size requirements as follows:
- FCCs (as per California Community Care Licensing Guidelines)
- Infant (0-18 months) 1:4
- Toddler (18-36 months) 1:6
- Preschool (3-5 years) 1:10
- Centers without State Funding:
- Infant (0-15 months) 1:4, class size 8
- Toddler (12-36 months) 1:6, class size 12
- Preschool (30 months-5 years) 1:10, class size 20
- State-funded (CSPP and CCTR) Centers
- Infant 1:3, class size 9
- Toddler 1:4, class size 12
- Preschool 1:8, class size 24
- FCCs (as per California Community Care Licensing Guidelines)
Please note:
- For units to count towards teaching qualifications, transcript grades must be C or higher.
- Starting in FY2026-2027 all academic units must come from a Regionally Accredited California Teacher Credentialing approved institution.
How to Apply
Step 1: Watch Our Pre-application Informational Video
The first step in becoming an Early Learning For All program is to view the pre-application informational video linked below. This video provides critical information about the Early Learning For All application requirements and process. Before beginning your application, please watch the entire video in the language of your preference using the links below.
Step 2: Collect Transcript(s) and/or Permit(s)
You will need to upload documentation verifying your program meets the minimum teacher qualifications to both the California ECE Workforce Registry and to your online application. Please collect all necessary transcripts and/or permits prior to moving on to steps 3-4 as you will need your documentation ready to complete these steps.
Starting in FY2026-2027 all academic units must come from a regionally accredited California Teacher Credentialing approved institution.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to check if your units come from a regionally accredited institution approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CA CTC).
Step 3: Create a CA ECE Workforce Registry Account & Upload Documentation of Teacher Qualifications
The Early Learning For All application requires the CA ECE Workforce Registry ID Number of the program Director or Owner. If you do not already have a Registry account, please create one at https://www.caregistry.org/ before completing your Early Learning For All application.
After creating your account, upload all transcript(s) and/or permit(s) verifying your program meets the Early Learning For All minimum teacher qualifications.
For Centers, each Director and Lead Teacher will need their own CA ECE Workforce Registry account and will need to upload their own transcripts and/or permits. Center Directors will also need to request Administrative Access and verify each of their Lead Teacher’s employment.
For step-by-step guides to creating your Registry account, finding your Registry ID, requesting administrative access, and uploading transcripts and permits, please view the guides linked below:
Resources for Employers
For additional questions or support with creating a California ECE Workforce Registry Account please contact the Children’s Council Help Desk:
- support@childrenscouncil.org
- 415-343-4669
Step 4: Complete an Application
Use the links below to complete our online application in your preferred language.
Step 5: We Will Contact You
DEC will review your application and contact you regarding next steps. The flow chart linked below provides an overview of what you can expect after your application is submitted.
Process Overview Flow Chart
Application Scoring and Ranking
If your application meets eligibility requirements, it will be scored and ranked according to the following prioritization criteria:
- Currently serving Infants and Toddlers – 5 Points
- Currently serving CalWORKs families – 1 point
- Experience serving all SF families and have expertise serving historically marginalized, isolated, and underserved populations, and children with a higher prevalence of not being kindergarten-ready – 1 point
- Currently serving children with IFSPs/IEPs – 1 point
Tie-breaker: When multiple programs have the same score, programs with the highest number of children enrolled will be ranked above programs with the same score serving fewer children.
We will publish the ranked list in July 2026.
Quality Standards Validation
As shown in the Process Overview flow chart linked above, the application is just the first step in the process to join our network. If your application is accepted and you are invited to attend an orientation meeting, you will then begin the Quality Standards validation process. The validation process is a series of site visits and assessments evaluating program’s quality across DEC’s five Early Learning For All Quality Standards. These standards are designed to ensure all children enrolled in Early Learning For All programs benefit from high-quality early learning experiences that prepare them to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. To join the Early Learning For All network, your program must meet our three core standards:
- Family Partnerships
- Safe & Engaging Environments
- Engaged Educators & Interactions
Once a new program is accepted into our network, they sign a Quality Standards agreement that outlines the minimum thresholds they must meet across all five standards to maintain their Early Learning For All status. In collaboration with our Early Learning Quality Team, programs also develop a continuous Quality Improvement Plan to identify program-specific quality improvement goals and establish a quality assurance and monitoring cadence with DEC and our quality assessment partners.
Questions and Support
If you have reviewed all the information above and still have questions, don’t worry! Below are a collection of frequently asked questions and answers. If you still have questions, please contact the support teams as directed below.
Join ELFA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Contact Information
For questions about your eligibility or application support please contact:
If you are already a qualified ELFA program and are planning to expand your program or add another site, please contact us at:
For questions or support with creating a California ECE Workforce Registry Account please contact the Help Desk at Children’s Council.
Help Desk Email: support@childrenscouncil.org
Help Desk Phone: 415-343-4669