Golden Cub Club

San Francisco Bay Area, California

Daycare, pre-K, language schools, and school pathways

Find bilingual daycare and preschool, public dual-language programs, heritage-language schools, camps, and enrollment support across the Bay Area.

“Bilingual school” can describe very different programs. A full-day daycare may use two languages throughout the day. A public dual-language pathway may begin in kindergarten and use a district lottery or neighborhood assignment. A weekend heritage school may focus on literacy and culture for children who attend another school during the week.

Compare the program model before comparing reputations. The listings below identify ages or grades, languages, schedule, location, and the enrollment route when those details are available. Daycare and preschool families should also check current California licensing, inspection information, openings, and subsidy participation directly before enrolling.

21 places and resources

Browse by part of the metro

Choose a broad area first, then narrow to an exact city or town. Listings include a neighborhood when it helps with the trip.

Showing 21 listings

San Francisco

3 places

Kinmon Gakuen offers Saturday Japanese language and cultural education for children and teens ages 5 to 18 in Japantown. The 2026-27 program meets from 9 a.m. to noon, places students by proficiency, and runs from late August through mid-May.

Published fees include a $50 annual registration fee and $500 tuition, with $480 tuition for each additional sibling. Registration deadlines matter because Saturday heritage programs fill by level.

Use this when you want weekend Japanese that continues through high school ages, not only preschool enrichment. Confirm the current year's calendar and placement process before paying registration.

Price and cost notes

$50 annual registration fee and $500 tuition; $480 tuition for each additional sibling.

  • Heritage Language
  • Japanese
  • Weekend
  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • Tuition

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

SFUSD offers TK-8 dual-language immersion pathways in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Korean, with school and grade availability varying by language. TK and first-grade applicants may seek non-native-speaker seats without prior proficiency.

Later entry generally requires a proficiency assessment through the district Enrollment Center, especially for grades 2 through 8 when a student is not continuing from a matching pathway. That assessment step is the make-or-break detail for mid-elementary transfers.

Start with the district dual-language page for participating schools, then confirm the current enrollment window before you assume a seat exists in your preferred language.

  • Public District
  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • Dual Language
  • Spanish
  • Cantonese
  • Mandarin

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Chinatown, San Francisco

Wu Yee Lok Yuen Early Learning Center

888 Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Wu Yee Lok Yuen Early Learning Center serves children ages 2 to 5 in an English-Cantonese dual-language environment in Chinatown. The center runs weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and publishes toddler and preschool ratios on its center page.

Eligible San Francisco families may get free or reduced tuition through Early Learning For All, while other families contact enrollment for current rates. The site identifies California childcare license 384000493.

Call 415-230-7500 for enrollment questions, and ask specifically about dual-language classroom placement for your child's age.

Price and cost notes

Families contact the enrollment team for current tuition; San Francisco Early Learning For All may provide free or reduced tuition for eligible families.

  • Toddler
  • Preschool
  • Pre K
  • Bilingual
  • Cantonese
  • English
  • Full Day

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Peninsula

3 places

Belmont

Footsteps Nesbit Puma Cubs

500 Biddulph Way, Belmont, CA 94002

Footsteps Nesbit Puma Cubs in Belmont provides full-time weekday care for infants through children entering TK or kindergarten, from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The program publishes separate California licenses for infant-toddler and preschool care at the Biddulph Way site.

The handbook notes multilingual staff and access to bilingual personnel or translators when needed, including Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, and ASL among staff languages. That language support helps when caregivers and teachers need a shared bridge.

Expect a $75 nonrefundable registration fee and $500 enrollment deposit, with monthly tuition confirmed during enrollment. Ask about age-group openings before you tour.

Price and cost notes

$75 nonrefundable registration fee and $500 enrollment deposit; current monthly tuition is provided during enrollment.

  • Infant
  • Toddler
  • Preschool
  • Pre K
  • Full Day
  • Licensed Childcare
  • Multilingual Support

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

San Bruno

PARCA REACH Childcare

John Muir Elementary School, San Bruno, CA

PARCA's REACH program provides licensed before- and after-school care for children with and without developmental disabilities, ages 4 years 9 months through 13. The San Bruno program at John Muir Elementary publishes an 8:1 ratio that may drop to 3:1 by need.

Homework help, multicultural activities, and a June-through-August day camp extend the offer beyond school-year afternoons. Inclusive enrollment is the point: siblings and classmates can share one after-school plan when support needs differ.

Contact the REACH manager for current schedules and fees, and ask how ratio adjustments work for your child's support needs. License 414003043 is the published facility identifier.

Price and cost notes

Families contact the REACH manager for current schedules and fees.

  • After School
  • Before School
  • Inclusive
  • Developmental Disability
  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • Summer

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Redwood City School District offers TK-8 Spanish and Mandarin immersion pathways. Spanish begins at Adelante Selby and Mandarin at Orion, with both continuing at Kennedy Middle School.

Families first enroll at their assigned school, then submit a School of Choice application for lottery placement. Priority applications are placed by random lottery, so residency enrollment alone does not guarantee an immersion seat.

Map which elementary pathway matches your language goal, then calendar the School of Choice window before middle-school continuation becomes the next decision.

  • Public District
  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • Dual Language
  • Spanish
  • Mandarin
  • Lottery

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

South Bay

4 places

San José

Adabestan Persian School

Merritt Trace Elementary School, 651 Dana Ave, San José, CA 95126

Adabestan teaches Persian through an in-person, immersion-oriented curriculum designed especially for elementary-aged children learning it as a second language. The 2026-27 San José calendar lists 31 Sunday sessions from September 13 through May 23, meeting from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Merritt Trace Elementary.

Weekend timing keeps it compatible with weekday public school. Current tuition is presented during registration rather than as a single public sticker price.

Register when the Sunday calendar opens if heritage Persian is the goal, and confirm classroom level placement for second-language learners versus already-speaking kids.

Price and cost notes

Current tuition is presented during registration; no fee was posted on the public calendar.

  • Heritage Language
  • Persian
  • Farsi
  • Weekend
  • Elementary
  • Second Language Learners
  • In Person

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Mountain View

GISSV German Immersion Summer Camp

310 Easy St, Mountain View, CA 94043

GISSV's Mountain View German immersion camp serves ages 5 to 14 with beginner through advanced language groupings. The 2026 session ran June 29 through July 31, with full-day weeks from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., half-day options for younger campers, and extended care.

Published weekly fees have been about $620 full day or $440 half day, plus about $90 per morning or afternoon week for extended care. Registration is first come, first served when the next summer opens.

Treat the Easy Street campus as a language-forward summer option, then watch GISSV's summer page for the next year's dates before spring fills.

Price and cost notes

$620 per full-day week or $440 per half-day week; extended care costs $90 per morning or afternoon week.

  • German
  • Language Immersion
  • Summer
  • Day Camp
  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • Full Day

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Parents Helping Parents provides free one-to-one guidance, webinars, and practical preparation for IFSP, IEP, and 504 meetings. Education specialists serve Santa Clara and San Mateo families (and additional counties named on the provider site).

Staff support is available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, with other languages arranged with advance notice. Use PHP when you need meeting prep and rights navigation, not a school placement lottery tip sheet.

Book one-to-one help before a high-stakes IEP date, and request language support early if English is not the meeting language you want.

Price and cost notes

Free.

  • Special Education
  • Iep
  • Ifsp
  • Family Navigation
  • Free
  • English
  • Spanish

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

San José Unified's Spanish-English Two-Way Bilingual Immersion program serves both native Spanish and native English speakers at multiple schools. Classrooms are usually about half native Spanish speakers and half native English speakers.

Families must live within district boundaries, attend an orientation before enrolling, and commit from kindergarten through fifth grade. That multi-year commitment is worth treating as a real household decision, not a one-year trial.

Check whether 2026-27 (or the current cycle) enrollment is still open, complete orientation, then enroll only if the K-5 commitment fits.

  • Public District
  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • Two Way Immersion
  • Spanish
  • English
  • Orientation Required

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

East Bay

4 places

Berkeley

DREDF Parent Training and Information Center

3075 Adeline St, Suite 210, Berkeley, CA 94703

DREDF's Parent Training and Information Center helps families understand assessments, accommodations, IEPs, dispute options, and education rights. The Berkeley-based center serves Alameda and Contra Costa counties through free resources, workshops, and direct help.

Interpretation or accommodations are available when requested in advance. Use DREDF when you need rights-based navigation across the East Bay, not a single-school PTA tip.

Contact the PTI before a disagreement escalates, and ask for interpretation at the same time you book help.

Price and cost notes

Free.

  • Special Education
  • Iep
  • 504
  • Family Navigation
  • Free
  • Workshops
  • Interpretation Available

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

JCC East Bay's Edah option combines TK-5 after-school care with Jewish learning and community programming in Berkeley. The 2026-27 program runs August 12 through June 3, offers two- through five-day schedules, and provides care until 6 p.m.

Monthly tuition varies by attendance days and school dismissal time, with published paid-in-full and multi-child discounts. Tuition is billed in ten equal monthly installments when you enroll for the school year.

Choose the day pattern that matches your school calendar, then confirm pickup logistics from your child's school to the JCC site.

Price and cost notes

Monthly tuition varies by two- through five-day schedule and school dismissal time; a 5% paid-in-full discount and multi-child discount are published.

  • After School
  • Elementary
  • Jewish Culture
  • Hebrew
  • Heritage Learning
  • School Year
  • Tuition

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Montclair, Oakland

KSS Oakland-Montclair Spanish Immersion Preschool

1650 Mountain Blvd, Oakland, CA 94611

KSS Oakland-Montclair serves children ages 2 through transitional kindergarten in a play-based Spanish immersion program on Mountain Boulevard. Families can choose a 10- or 12-month school day or extended day and apply on a rolling basis after an inquiry and tour.

Published 2026-27 tuition ranges from about $24,750 for a 10-month school day to about $35,100 for a 12-month extended day, with financial assistance available. The site's California childcare record uses facility number 013423070.

Tour before you assume a start month, and ask which age classroom and schedule tier actually has space.

Price and cost notes

2026-27 tuition ranges from $24,750 for a 10-month school day to $35,100 for a 12-month extended day; financial assistance is available.

  • Preschool
  • Pre K
  • Spanish
  • Language Immersion
  • Full Day
  • Extended Day
  • Licensed Childcare

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Oakland Unified operates Spanish-English dual-language programs at eight schools, including TK-8 and elementary options such as Greenleaf (TK-8) and ICS (TK-5). District goals center bilingualism, biliteracy, and academic achievement in both languages.

Individual school pages publish grade spans, daily hours, after-school availability, and enrollment links, so the district overview is only the first stop. After-school options at some sites matter for working caregivers.

Shortlist two or three OUSD dual-language schools that match grade span and commute, then follow each school's enrollment link for the current cycle.

  • Public District
  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • Dual Language
  • Spanish
  • English
  • After School

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Tri-Valley and Diablo

3 places

Care Parent Network gives Contra Costa families free help with early-intervention transitions, preschool and K-12 special education, IEP preparation, and post-meeting questions. Staff are parents of children with special needs, which shapes the peer-to-parent tone.

Spanish-language support groups and pages are available, and meeting attendance may be offered for emotional support after consultation. Use Care when you want preparation and steadiness around the meeting, not a paid advocate by default.

Reach out before the IEP date if possible, and ask about Spanish support if that is the language your household needs.

Price and cost notes

Free.

  • Special Education
  • Iep
  • Ifsp
  • Family Navigation
  • Free
  • Spanish
  • Parent To Parent

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Pleasanton

Pleasanton Bilingual Montessori School

5724 W Las Positas Blvd, Pleasanton, CA 94588

Pleasanton Bilingual Montessori provides English-Mandarin early learning for ages 15 months through 6 years, including kindergarten and summer programming. The year-round West Las Positas Boulevard campus operates weekdays and accepts families through provider enrollment.

Separate California licenses cover infant care and preschool (013421338 and 013421337). Mandarin-English Montessori is the differentiator if you want bilingual early childhood with a Montessori classroom culture rather than a Saturday-only class.

Request current tuition during admissions, and ask how toddler versus preschool rooms handle language balance across the day.

Price and cost notes

Current tuition is provided during the provider's admissions process.

  • Toddler
  • Preschool
  • Pre K
  • Kindergarten
  • Bilingual
  • Mandarin
  • English

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Pleasanton Unified's Spanish-English pathway begins at Valley View Elementary, continues at Pleasanton Middle School, and finishes with selected Spanish-taught core classes at Foothill High. That K-12 arc is rare enough to plan around if long-term immersion is the goal.

English speakers may enter in K-1, Spanish speakers in K-2, and bilingual students later after assessment. Families enroll at their resident school, then add open-enrollment or interdistrict paperwork when applicable.

Watch published priorities and completion order for the current cycle, and start paperwork early if you need an interdistrict transfer.

  • Public District
  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • Dual Language
  • Spanish
  • English

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

North Bay and Solano

4 places

Vallejo

Elmer Cave Language Academy

770 Tregaskis Ave, Vallejo, CA 94591

Elmer Cave Language Academy in Vallejo is a public TK-8 Spanish-English dual-immersion school using a 90/10 model in TK through first grade and reaching 50/50 by fifth grade. Standard entry is TK through first, with later transfers reviewed from matching immersion programs.

Families register in Aeries, then apply through SchoolMint for the lottery. That two-step sequence is easy to miss if you only complete one system.

Treat TK-1 as the realistic entry window, and gather prior immersion records if you are seeking a later transfer.

  • Public District
  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • Dual Language
  • Spanish
  • English
  • 90 10 Model

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

San Rafael

Matrix Parents at Marin CIL

2400 Las Gallinas Ave, Suite 100, San Rafael, CA 94903

Matrix Parents supports families of children and young adults with disabilities across Marin, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties. English and Spanish help includes one-to-one guidance, parent training, support groups, and IEP clinics.

Programs span early intervention through school-age planning and transition, with ages covered depending on funding stream and service (broadly 0 to 26 in published materials). Free family support and training is the core offer.

Start with an IEP clinic or one-to-one intake when a meeting is coming up, and request Spanish support if that is your preferred language.

Price and cost notes

Free family support and training.

  • Special Education
  • Iep
  • Ifsp
  • Family Navigation
  • English
  • Spanish
  • One To One

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Napa Valley Unified offers a Spanish-English K-12 dual-language pathway through Pueblo Vista or Napa Valley Language Academy, Unidos Middle School, and Napa High. Entry usually begins in kindergarten or first grade, with later placement considered individually.

Resident families register first, then use fall open enrollment. Bilingual enrollment help is available, which matters when forms and pathway rules feel dense.

Confirm which elementary campus you are targeting, then complete resident registration before open enrollment so you are not solving paperwork in the wrong order.

  • Public District
  • Elementary
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • Dual Language
  • Spanish
  • English

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

Soaring Wings is a small Napa infant-care and Spanish immersion preschool serving ages 6 months to 5 years. It operates year-round Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., posts current openings, and uses tour-based enrollment.

California family childcare license 283008881 and a licensed capacity of 14 keep expectations honest: this is a small setting, not a large center campus. CRC funding is accepted according to the provider.

Book a tour when openings appear, and ask how immersion works across infant versus preschool ages in a mixed-age home-based license.

Price and cost notes

Current tuition is provided during the provider's tour and enrollment process; CRC funding is accepted.

  • Infant
  • Toddler
  • Preschool
  • Pre K
  • Spanish
  • Language Immersion
  • Full Day

Details checked Jul 31, 2026

A few things worth checking

Match the program to your actual week

A strong language program still has to work with commuting, naps, siblings, and the school calendar. For early learning, check full-day hours, closures, meals, toilet-learning expectations, and whether tuition covers the entire day. For weekend schools, ask how much home practice is expected and whether beginners and heritage speakers learn together.

Public immersion programs may have application windows, attendance boundaries, transportation limits, and continuation pathways into later grades. Read the district's current enrollment instructions rather than assuming a San José, Oakland, or Peninsula program is available from any address.

Use labels carefully

Dual-language instruction, language immersion, heritage-language classes, and English-learner support are not interchangeable. Ask how much of the day is taught in each language, who the program is designed for, and what literacy goals it follows.

Camps and short programs can be a lower-commitment way to test a language environment, but dates and locations change each year. Confirm the current session before making summer plans.

Directory information is educational. It is not a school ranking, accreditation decision, or substitute for checking California child-care licensing records and the provider's current enrollment materials.