At a time when public policy discussions are focused on state funding for pre-schools, it was interesting to see a San Francisco parent call for more programs that charge $10,000 or less. It seems that residents of the city by the sea are taking out second mortgages in some cases to afford preschool feels of between $12,000 and $20,000.

Those prices are daunting, of course, but anyone familiar with the insanity of preschool in Manhattan might consider such numbers a bargain.The highly coveted 92nd Street YMCA nursery school program, for example, charges $24,380 for a 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. program; some city nursery schools are charging close to $30,000 for full-day programs.

The upscale urban programs in New York City promise prestige along with sandbox play and alphabet training of course, and parents appear far more concerned about getting in than about the pricetag.

It's not so clear that the same is true of early learning centers in San Francisco; William Shireman wrote in his Chronicle column that "paying these prices is criminal,'' and noted that the kids who most need preschool aren't able to afford it. Shireman's argument is a good one for publicly funded, free pre-school, but he said he'd settle for more preschools "with fees of $10,000 or less that offer safety, warmth, love and a smart curriculum for children from all kinds of families. Not through subsidies but through well-designed programs and regulations that enable and encourage affordable preschool and child care, and give parents a choice."