By 2026, two community-focused schools will close.
Zuckerberg school closures: In 2026, two schools founded by Mark Zuckerberg and Dr. Priscilla Chan will close, shocking families. The schools were established as part of The Primary School’s effort to provide a comprehensive model integrating social services, health care, and education.
Constructed with Equity in Mind
The Primary School established in 2016 aims to address systemic educational disparities and early childhood trauma. For underprivileged families, the school, which was close to Meta’s headquarters, offered as a ray of hope. Dr. Chan envisioned it as a paradigm for education that would support communities of color and offer wraparound services. Families Caught Off Guard.
Parents were informed abruptly at a breakfast meeting, with no formal reason given for the closure. Many suspect the decision aligns with Zuckerberg’s reported pullback from diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) initiatives, especially as he aligns closer with conservative politics and former President Trump.
One parent recounted her kindergartner saying:
“Mommy, the guy who’s been giving money to our school doesn’t want to give it to us anymore.”
Funding and Transparency Concerns
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), which had invested nearly $100 million into the school from 2018–2024, announced it will provide a $50 million support package for affected families, including education savings accounts and transition assistance. But the lack of public explanation has left many feeling abandoned.
Leaders said the school struggled to secure long-term public or private funding beyond CZI, raising concerns about sustainability. The school will graduate its first and last 8th-grade class in 2026.
Is Ineffective Philanthropy on the Rise?
This is by no means Zuckerberg’s first controversial educational project. His $100 million offer to Newark public schools in 2010 drew criticism for favoring charter schools over public ones and having little bearing on student outcomes.
Parents such as Emeline Vainikolo now question why a millionaire would give up on a project that was once praised for its revolutionary potential.
“He’s a billionaire. Why would he want to close this?” she asked.
Community’s Plea for Support
Many parents remain grateful for the support the school provided, especially for children with special needs. But the sudden reversal has shaken their trust.
“That’s all we ask with our heart — that she [Chan] support us and not leave us halfway with our children,” one mother said.
Despite officials insisting the closure isn’t linked to D.E.I. politics, its timing amid a wider rollback of diversity programs in tech raises questions.
Source: The New York Times
