Mark Zuckerberg’s wife Priscilla Chan founded a school, 10 years later and after $125 million in donation, Board voted to close it after learning that … |

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s wife Priscilla Chan co-founded the Primary School in East Palo Alto, California in 2016 with the backing of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). The school was designed to serve low-income families, the tuition fee private school aimed to support the “whole child” through wraparound services such as dental checkups, wellness coaching, and early‑intervention screenings. Over ten years, CZI poured more than $125 million into the project, making it one of the most ambitious philanthropic education ventures in Silicon Valley. However, despite the strong support services and community engagement, academic performance often fell short of state norms, complicating efforts to replicate the model in public and charter schools. A report by Wall Street Journal revealed that despite all these efforts the school shut its doors this past June after a decade of operation.

Why the Board voted to close the school founded by Priscilla Chan

In April 2025, the school’s board voted unanimously to shut down after learning CZI would not continue funding beyond the 2025‑26 academic year. Board president Jean‑Claude Brizard said the decision was made in alignment with its largest funder. A CZI spokesperson emphasized that the closure was the board’s choice and that the organization’s focus had shifted toward scientific research.The closure reflects a broader shift at CZI, which has moved its philanthropic focus away from social issues and toward scientific research in recent years. Around the same time the organization narrowed its mission, telling staff that funding for social advocacy work had been scaled back to better match its focus as a science-oriented philanthropy, the board’s vote to close the school followed. Brizard described the timing relative to Zuckerberg and Chan’s attendance at President Trump’s inauguration as an unfortunate coincidence, and CZI said there was no evidence the inauguration influenced the board’s decision.

Mixed results and challenges

By some measures, the school struggled to meet expectations. Academic performance often fell short of state norms, complicating efforts to replicate its model in public and charter schools. High principal turnover and structural challenges also hindered progress. Yet, the school succeeded in areas beyond academics: students showed improvements in well‑being, socio‑emotional skills, and health outcomes. About 85% of students had annual well‑child visits, compared with 55% of children on Medicaid in the county.

Impact on families and community

Nearly 540 children were enrolled across two campuses when the closure was announced. Parents described the decision as “crushing,” with one calling the school a “godsend.” The Ravenswood City Elementary School District is now preparing for an enrollment surge. To ease the transition, CZI pledged $50 million, covering the school’s lease and supporting local groups, along with education savings accounts for families.

Lessons in philanthropy

The Primary School’s closure highlights the difficulty of sustaining philanthropic education projects. As Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute noted, “Business leaders look at K‑12 education and go, ‘Man, how hard can it be to improve this thing?’ Well, it’s incredibly hard.” Chan herself admitted outcomes weren’t where “anyone would have wanted them to be.”