Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s Tuition-Free School to Close, Leaving Families in Limbo

When Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan launched the Primary School in 2016, the vision was bold: a tuition-free educational model in the Bay Area that would integrate healthcare and learning from birth through high school. It was one of the earliest and most personal initiatives funded by the couple’s Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), reflecting Chan’s roots as a pediatrician and their shared passion for tackling systemic inequalities.

Now, nearly a decade later, the dream is coming to an unexpected and painful end.

Families across the school’s two campuses were stunned last week when they received word that the Primary School will shut down at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. In a brief message, the school called the decision “very difficult,” offering little explanation beyond confirming that CZI would be withdrawing its support. The announcement has left hundreds of families – many of whom are from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds – scrambling for answers and worried about what comes next.

The Primary School was not just another educational experiment. It was a rare model that addressed the needs of the whole family. Beyond providing an innovative curriculum, the school paired parents with wellness coaches and actively worked to build resilience among children affected by trauma, poverty, and systemic neglect. As recently as last month, its leaders were promoting the model on national stages like SXSW, championing the benefits of combining early education with healthcare to help society’s most vulnerable.

But behind the scenes, shifts were happening – not just at the school, but within CZI itself.

In February, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative announced a major pivot: it would be scaling back its social advocacy efforts, cutting programs focused on racial equity, immigration reform, and internal diversity initiatives. Instead, CZI said it would focus its energy – and its considerable resources – on science and medical research. The Primary School, one of the organization’s first public-facing investments, appeared to be a casualty of that broader realignment.

When pressed for details, the school’s senior manager of strategy and advancement, Carson Cook, declined to explain the decision, though he assured families that their children’s well-being remained the school’s top priority. He emphasized that parent wellness coaches would continue to work closely with families to find new educational opportunities after the school’s closure.

The decision to shutter the school also reflects broader political and cultural shifts surrounding Zuckerberg himself. Once known for his public commitments to social causes – including a 2017 cross-country tour to meet everyday Americans and expressions of solidarity during the 2020 racial justice protests – Zuckerberg has in recent years drawn closer to former President Donald Trump and his allies. Meta, the tech giant he co-founded, has adjusted its policies to align more favorably with the current administration, settling lawsuits and redirecting political donations.

For families who found a lifeline in the Primary School during the Bay Area’s ongoing affordability crisis, the closure feels like yet another betrayal. As one parent told the San Francisco Standard, the school was a “gift to the community” – a rare bright spot as soaring housing costs displaced many lower-income residents. “Now they’re gonna take this away too,” she said, echoing a deep sense of loss.

Despite the turmoil, staff members at the Primary School remain committed to making the final year count.

“We have an incredible team, and the fact that we have one more year with our families just invigorates and motivates us,” Cook said. “Our team cares very deeply about our children, our families, and this community.”

As the final chapter of the Primary School begins to unfold, it serves as a stark reminder of how quickly promises can fade – even those made with the best of intentions – when the tides of wealth, politics, and power shift.