The average private preschool in California was founded around 1978 (2025).
The oldest private preschool in California is St. Clare School, founded in 1856.
Year Founded Range: 1856
1917
Avg. Year Founded: 1898
Oldest Private Preschools in California (2025)
School
Founding Date
Grades
Location
Rank: #11.
St. Clare School![St. Clare School Photo - Saint Clare School ~ Open Enrollment]( "St. Clare School Photo - Saint Clare School ~ Open Enrollment")
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1856
Grades: PK-8
750 Washington St
Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 246-6797
Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 246-6797
Rank: #22.
Founding Date: 1862
Grades: PK-8
150 Emmet
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 423-5852
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 423-5852
Rank: #33.
Founding Date: 1871
Grades: PK-8
7900 Church St
Gilroy, CA 95020
(408) 842-2827
Gilroy, CA 95020
(408) 842-2827
Rank: #44.
Old Mission School![Old Mission School Photo - Welcome to Old Mission School]( "Old Mission School Photo - Welcome to Old Mission School")
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1876
Grades: PK-8
761 Broad Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 543-6019
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 543-6019
Rank: #55.
St. Joseph Elementary School![St. Joseph Elementary School Photo]( "St. Joseph Elementary School Photo")
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1881
Grades: PK-8
1910 San Antonio Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 522-4456
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 522-4456
Rank: #66.
Founding Date: 1883
Grades: NS-8
154 S Shaffer St
Orange, CA 92866
(714) 288-4400
Orange, CA 92866
(714) 288-4400
Rank: #77.
Our Lady Of Mt Carmel School![Our Lady Of Mt Carmel School Photo - Established in 1885 by the sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the historic school building in nestled in a residential neighborhood close to downtown Redwood City.]( "Our Lady Of Mt Carmel School Photo - Established in 1885 by the sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the historic school building in nestled in a residential neighborhood close to downtown Redwood City.")
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1885
Grades: PK-8
301 Grand St
Redwood City, CA 94062
(650) 366-6127
Redwood City, CA 94062
(650) 366-6127
Rank: #88.
Holy Rosary Catholic School
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1886
Grades: PK-8
505 California Street
Woodland, CA 95695
(530) 662-3494
Woodland, CA 95695
(530) 662-3494
Rank: #99.
Founding Date: 1888
Grades: PK-8
246 Howard Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 762-6426
Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 762-6426
Rank: #1010.
St. Raphael School
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1889
Grades: PK-8
1100 5th Ave
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 454-4455
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 454-4455
Rank: #1111.
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish School![Our Lady of Lourdes Parish School Photo - Monthly family liturgy at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church.]( "Our Lady of Lourdes Parish School Photo - Monthly family liturgy at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church.")
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1891
Grades: PK-8
741 Ware Avenue
Colusa, CA 95932
(530) 458-8208
Colusa, CA 95932
(530) 458-8208
Rank: #12 - 1312. - 13.
Sacred Heart Academy![Sacred Heart Academy Photo]( "Sacred Heart Academy Photo")
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1897
Grades: PK-8
215 S Eureka St
Redlands, CA 92373
(951) 536-1483
Redlands, CA 92373
(951) 536-1483
Rank: #12 - 1312. - 13.
Founding Date: 1897
Grades: PK-8
42 Chestnut Street
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 796-7697
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 796-7697
Rank: #14 - 1514. - 15.
Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton![Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton Photo - Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton sits one 64-acre campus housing the Preschool & Kindergarten, Lower & Middle Schools and Preparatory.]( "Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton Photo - Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton sits one 64-acre campus housing the Preschool & Kindergarten, Lower & Middle Schools and Preparatory.")
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1898
Grades: NS-12
150 Valparaiso Avenue
Atherton, CA 94027
(650) 322-1866
Atherton, CA 94027
(650) 322-1866
Rank: #14 - 1514. - 15.
San Carlos School
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1898
Grades: PK-8
450 Church St
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 375-1324
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 375-1324
Rank: #1616.
Santa Clara Elementary School
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1901
Grades: PK-8
324 South E Street
Oxnard, CA 93030
(805) 483-6935
Oxnard, CA 93030
(805) 483-6935
Rank: #1717.
Founding Date: 1904
Grades: PK-8
50 S. Lower Sacramento Rd.
Lodi, CA 95242
(209) 333-2225
Lodi, CA 95242
(209) 333-2225
Rank: #18 - 2018. - 20.
Founding Date: 1906
Grades: PK-8
13514 Olive Drive
Whittier, CA 90601
(562) 907-4250
Whittier, CA 90601
(562) 907-4250
Rank: #18 - 2018. - 20.
Founding Date: 1906
Grades: NS-12
10656 Anderson Street
Loma Linda, CA 92354
(909) 796-0161
Loma Linda, CA 92354
(909) 796-0161
Rank: #18 - 2018. - 20.
Sacred Heart School
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1906
Grades: NS-8
123 W Market St
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 771-1310
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 771-1310
Rank: #2121.
Glendale Adventist Academy![Glendale Adventist Academy Photo - Bell Tower & Auditorium]( "Glendale Adventist Academy Photo - Bell Tower & Auditorium")
(Seventh Day Adventist)
Founding Date: 1907
Grades: PK-12
700 Kimlin Dr
Glendale, CA 91206
(818) 244-8671
Glendale, CA 91206
(818) 244-8671
Rank: #22 - 2522. - 25.
Founding Date: 1908
Grades: PK-8
657 Victoria Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 642-0411
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 642-0411
Rank: #22 - 2522. - 25.
Founding Date: 1908
Grades: PK-2
565 N. Larchmont Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 272-3429
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 272-3429
Rank: #22 - 2522. - 25.
Founding Date: 1908
Grades: NS-8
901 E Heim Avenue
Orange, CA 92865
(714) 921-3188
Orange, CA 92865
(714) 921-3188
Rank: #22 - 2522. - 25.
St. Thomas The Apostle Elementary School![St. Thomas The Apostle Elementary School Photo]( "St. Thomas The Apostle Elementary School Photo")
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1908
Grades: PK-8
2632 W 15th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(323) 737-4730
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(323) 737-4730
Rank: #2626.
Founding Date: 1909
Grades: PK-12
2020 Academy Pl
Ceres, CA 95307
(209) 537-4521
Ceres, CA 95307
(209) 537-4521
Rank: #2727.
St. Francis Parish School
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1910
Grades: PK-8
2516 Palm St
Bakersfield, CA 93304
(661) 326-7955
Bakersfield, CA 93304
(661) 326-7955
Rank: #2828.
Founding Date: 1911
Grades: NS-8
16000 Mulholland Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 476-6421
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 476-6421
Rank: #29 - 3129. - 31.
Founding Date: 1912
Grades: PK-12
6501 Linda Vista Rd
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 569-7900
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 569-7900
Rank: #29 - 3129. - 31.
Founding Date: 1912
Grades: PK-8
5315 Foothill Rd
Carpinteria, CA 93013
(805) 745-8448
Carpinteria, CA 93013
(805) 745-8448
Rank: #29 - 3129. - 31.
Our Ladys School
(Catholic)
Founding Date: 1912
Grades: PK-8
650 24th St
San Diego, CA 92102
(619) 233-8888
San Diego, CA 92102
(619) 233-8888
Rank: #3232.
Founding Date: 1913
Grades: PK-8
345 Church Street
Livermore, CA 94550
(925) 447-1888
Livermore, CA 94550
(925) 447-1888
Rank: #3333.
Founding Date: 1914
Grades: PK-8
315 S Eastman Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90063
(323) 526-3813
Los Angeles, CA 90063
(323) 526-3813
Rank: #3434.
Founding Date: 1915
Grades: PK-8
1051 W San Fernando St
San Jose, CA 95126
(408) 293-4846
San Jose, CA 95126
(408) 293-4846
Rank: #35 - 3635. - 36.
Founding Date: 1917
Grades: PK-8
925 Chenery St
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 584-8383
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 584-8383
Show 100 more private schools in CA (out of 1,107 total schools)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the California average private preschools founding year?
The California average private preschools founding year is 1978 for 2025.
What are the private preschools with oldest founding year in California?
The top ranked private preschools in California include St. Clare School, Holy Cross School and St. Mary School.
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