Pacific Primary

What Pacific Primary does

Pacific Primary is a 501(c) nonprofit preschool founded in 1974 and headquartered in San Francisco's Western Addition neighborhood, operating two owned campuses — Yellow Sun School at 1500 Grove Street and Orange Sun School at 1501 Grove Street — that together serve 154 children ages 2.5 to 6 years with a full-day, year-round program running 7:45 AM to 5:30 PM. The curriculum is built on emergent and thematic child-initiated learning, supported by dedicated Music & Movement specialists (Orff Schulwerk approach) and an Expressive Arts program, plus two full-time in-house chefs, weekly field trips via public transit, and a summer program with Bay Area excursions. The school employs 49 staff at an approximately 6-to-1 student-teacher ratio with 8-year average teaching tenure.

The business model is tuition-driven (annual tuition of $35,604 for 2025-2026, approximately 86% of the operating budget) supplemented by an annual fundraising program targeting $695,000 in the 50th anniversary year through the Fund For All campaign, the Here Comes the Sun auction, and the Fund for the Future initiative. Distribution is community-led via school tours, parent referrals, and word-of-mouth, with admissions managed through the BigSIS platform and enrollment led by an Enrollment Director; 22-25% of families receive tuition assistance, and the school participates as a qualified provider in the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood's Early Learning For All (ELFA) subsidy program. There is no proprietary technology stack — the school relies on Ravenna for tuition processing, ParentSquare for family communications, and BigSIS for admissions, with no AI/ML components, API products, or software offerings.

Name

Pacific Primary

Legal name

Pacific Primary

Website

https://pacificprimary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Pacific Primary is a 501(c) nonprofit preschool operating two San Francisco campuses serving 154 children ages 2.5 to 6 with full-day, year-round early childhood education, funded primarily by tuition ($35,604 annually) and community fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic/School-Readiness Preschools (EDACABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Toddler-Focused Childcare Centers (EDACAAAG), Transition & School-Readiness Support for Special Needs Children (HSAAAIAO)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Preschool programs
• Full-day childcare
• Music and movement curriculum
• Tuition assistance preschool

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Annual tuition for 2025-2026 school year is $35,604 ($2,967/month). Tuition makes up approximately 86% of the operating budget. Three payment options available via Ravenna Tuition Management: Pay in Full, Semi-Annual, or 12 Monthly Payments.
2. Fundraising - Fund For All: Annual fund campaign running September through December. Goal to raise $350,000 and achieve 100% participation from the community. Supports flexible, unrestricted operating support for teacher recruitment/retention, tuition assistance, and the Pacific Primary Experience program.
3. Here Comes the Sun Auction Event: Annual adult party and auction event held in March. Goal of $300,000 to support the Tuition Assistance Fund and Music & Movement and Expressive Arts programs. Includes event sponsorships from local businesses.
4. Fund For the Future: Graduating families are invited to donate all or part of their last month's tuition deposit, reinvesting in the school community.
5. ELFA Subsidy Revenue (via San Francisco DEC): Pacific Primary participates as a qualified provider in the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood's Early Learning For All (ELFA) initiative. Families earning up to 110% AMI receive fully funded tuition; families earning 111-150% AMI receive 50% tuition credit. This represents subsidy revenue from the city.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pacific Primary is a nonprofit full-day, year-round preschool serving children ages 2.5 to 6 years across two San Francisco campuses (Yellow Sun School and Orange Sun School), with 49 staff supporting a 6-to-1 student/teacher ratio. The school delivers an emergent and thematic curriculum with dedicated Music and Movement and Expressive Arts specialists, in-house meal preparation, weekly field trips, and tuition assistance supported by an annual fundraising program.

Product overview

Pacific Primary is a nonprofit full-day, year-round preschool serving children ages 2.5 to 6 years in San Francisco's Western Addition neighborhood. The school operates two campuses: Yellow Sun School (original, 80 children, 1500 Grove Street) and Orange Sun School (2008 expansion, 74 children, 1501 Grove Street). Core programming includes an emergent and thematic curriculum centered on child-initiated, hands-on learning. Specialized programs include the Orff Schulwerk-based Music and Movement program taught by specialists, and the Expressive Arts program using puppet play and open-ended art. The school provides tuition assistance and partners with San Francisco's ELFA program for financial support. Additional offerings include summer programs with Bay Area field trips.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full-Day Year-Round Preschool Program Full-day, year-round preschool (7:45 AM to 5:30 PM) for children ages 2.5 to 6 across two San Francisco campuses, delivering an emergent and thematic curriculum centered on child-initiated, hands-on learning, daily music class, bi-weekly expressive arts, weekly field trips, and a summer program.
• Yellow Sun School Campus Original Pacific Primary campus at 1500 Grove Street — a single-story, 4,400 square foot facility with a 5,600 square foot playground, accommodating 80 children.
• Orange Sun School Campus Second Pacific Primary campus at 1501 Grove Street — a two-story, 7,400 square foot ADA-accessible facility with solar power and radiant heating, accommodating 74 children and housing administrative offices.
• Music and Movement Program Comprehensive music education program founded on the Orff Schulwerk approach, taught by specialists Kevin Gerzevitz and Kate Offer, featuring singing, movement, rhythmic games, folk dancing, and hands-on instruments including xylophones.
• Expressive Arts Program Bi-weekly program created by Elyse Jacobs that helps children identify feelings and express themselves through art and puppet play, using found materials and loose parts for open-ended artistic expression, problem solving, and social-emotional learning.
• Summer Program Summer program running July through August featuring field trips throughout the Bay Area via chartered school bus with child safety seats, parent volunteers, and extra staff support.
• Tuition Assistance Program Financial aid program based on demonstrated need, providing tuition assistance to help make the program accessible to families showing financial hardship. Approximately 22-25% of families receive assistance.
• ELFA (Early Learning For All) Program Channel through which San Francisco Department of Early Childhood (DEC) provides fully funded tuition for Pacific Primary families earning up to 110% AMI and 50% tuition credits for families earning 111-150% AMI.

Quantifiable outcome

• Student/teacher ratio of approximately 6-to-1
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• San Francisco Department of Early Childhood (DEC) — Early Learning For All (ELFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacific Primary participates as a qualified provider in the DEC's Early Learning For All (ELFA) initiative, which aims to increase access to high-quality early care and education for children ages 0-5 of San Francisco residents. ELFA provides fully funded tuition for families earning up to 110% AMI and 50% tuition credit for families earning 111-150% AMI. Pacific Primary supports the DEC's mission and commitment to inclusivity through this partnership.
• Hall WinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for the Here Comes the Sun Auction, Pacific Primary's annual fundraising event.
• Fort Point Beer CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for the Here Comes the Sun Auction, Pacific Primary's annual fundraising event.
• Brass-tacks San FranciscominorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for the Here Comes the Sun Auction, Pacific Primary's annual fundraising event.
• Baca WinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for the Here Comes the Sun Auction, Pacific Primary's annual fundraising event.
• AninaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for the Here Comes the Sun Auction, Pacific Primary's annual fundraising event.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stratford School: Bay Area-based private preschool through middle school chain with multiple campuses. Comparable as a competing premium preschool provider in the SF Bay Area targeting similar families, though with a more standardized, multi-campus corporate model.
• Guidepost Montessori: Large national Montessori preschool and elementary operator with Bay Area presence. Comparable as a competing premium early-childhood provider serving similar families, though differentiated by its franchise-like national expansion versus Pacific Primary's single-site nonprofit model.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Largest US provider of employer-sponsored childcare and early education with hundreds of centers nationwide. Comparable as a competing preschool operator but at much larger scale and with a corporate, employer-channel model versus Pacific Primary's community-driven nonprofit approach.

Direct peers

• The San Francisco School: Independent, progressive private school in San Francisco serving early childhood through middle school. Comparable to Pacific Primary as a Bay Area independent preschool with a progressive educational philosophy, similar tuition tier, and overlapping geographic catchment.
• Children's Day School: Independent preschool and elementary school in San Francisco's Mission District with a similar progressive, diversity-focused mission and comparable tuition. Both schools compete for the same progressive, urban professional family demographic in San Francisco.
• Live Oak School: Independent K-8 school in San Francisco with a progressive, experiential educational philosophy and similar tuition tier. Listed as a destination school for Pacific Primary graduates, indicating strong feeder relationship and similar family demographic.
• The Little School: Small parent-participation preschool in San Francisco with a cooperative model similar to Pacific Primary's required parental involvement. Comparable as a Bay Area progressive preschool competing for the same families with similar tuition and small-class philosophy.
• Synergy School: Independent K-8 school in San Francisco's Mission District founded on similar progressive, project-based educational principles. Comparable to Pacific Primary in pedagogy, urban private school positioning, and Bay Area parent demographic.
• SF Day School: Independent K-8 school in San Francisco with progressive, experiential curriculum. Listed as a Pacific Primary graduate destination, indicating strong feeder relationship, similar family demographic, and overlapping educational philosophy positioning.

Regional players

• Marin Primary & Middle School: Independent preschool through middle school in Marin County north of San Francisco. Comparable as a Bay Area progressive private school with similar tuition tier and philosophy; serves families from a different (but adjacent) geography, including Pacific Primary graduates per the data.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/PacificPrimary
• Facebookfacebook.com/pacificprimaryschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/pacificprimary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacific-primary

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacific Primary