Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Shutting Down Two Bay Area Schools It Launched In 2016

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative will close two tuition-free private schools, the Primary School, by the end of the 2025-26 school year. No reason was provided for this decision, but the initiative committed to investing $50 million in supporting student transitions to new schools. Established in 2016, the schools serve low-income students, primarily from Black and brown communities in East Palo Alto and San Leandro. The announcement expressed a commitment to a thoughtful transition for families, highlighting the difficulty of the decision. Speculation from the tech press suggests the closure might be an attempt by Zuckerberg to align with the Trump administration.

The initiative took steps toward diversity and inclusion, conducting an audit in June 2020 after the Black Lives Matter protests. The $50 million investment aims to create savings plans for students to support their future learning. This closure raises questions about the future of philanthropic education initiatives and their impact on vulnerable communities in the Bay Area.