The Primary School, a tuition-free private school co-founded by Dr. Priscilla Chan, wife of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has closed after about a decade of operation despite receiving more than $125 million in funding from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI).

The school opened in East Palo Alto, California, in 2016, with the aim of supporting children from low-income families through an integrated approach combining education, healthcare and family support. Its programmes included dental care, health and developmental screenings, wellness support and assistance for parents.

The school’s board announced in April 2025 that the institution would close at the end of the 2025–26 academic year. The decision came after CZI informed the school that it would not continue funding the institution beyond that school year. The school officially closed in June 2026.

Reports also said the school faced challenges with academic performance, with results in some areas falling below state benchmarks. The school’s ambitious model was intended to address the wider health and social barriers that can affect children’s education, but its results made it difficult to demonstrate that the approach could be replicated on a larger scale.

Around 540 students were enrolled across the school’s campuses. Following the closure, families have been supported in moving their children to other schools, including through collaboration with the Ravenswood City School District.

CZI has also committed $50 million to support students, families and community organisations in the affected areas during the transition. The funding includes support for education savings accounts and programmes focused on healthcare, early childhood education and family services.

The closure brings an end to one of CZI’s most prominent education projects, while the organisation continues to shift significant philanthropic attention toward scientific and biomedical research.