Back in 2016, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, decided to do something big for the Bay Area: open a tuition-free school for low-income families. Yep, the kind of place where kids could get not just top-tier education but healthcare too — all under one roof. It was called The Primary School, and it was the first big project under their philanthropy baby, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI).

But now, the dream’s hitting the brakes.

Last week, parents started getting the dreaded heads-up: the school’s shutting down at the end of the 2025–26 school year. Carson Cook, who handles strategy at the school, confirmed the news but stayed tight-lipped about why. Basically: “It’s complicated,” but with no juicy details.

The school’s model was pretty unique — think education meets wellness center. Kids got support, and parents had access to wellness coaches. Chan, a former pediatrician, once said the idea was to help families bounce back from things like poverty and trauma. A noble mission, and one that had folks talking, especially after the school’s team presented at SXSW just last month.

So, why the closure?

Well, the official line is... silence. But behind the scenes, CZI has been pivoting. In February, they announced a major shift away from social causes — goodbye immigration reform, racial equity work, and internal DEI efforts. Meanwhile, over at Meta (Zuckerberg’s other full-time gig), things have also taken a political swerve, including some eyebrow-raising Trump-related moves. Like, say, calling Trump a “badass” and donating to his inauguration. Not exactly the same vibes as “healing communities,” is it?

Naturally, folks in the Bay Area aren’t thrilled. The school was a lifeline for many families, especially in a region where tech wealth has sent housing prices sky-high and forced working-class communities to the margins. One parent told the San Francisco Standard, “The school was a gift to the community… now they’re taking this away too.”

But the team at the Primary School isn’t giving up just yet. Staff say they’re going all in for their final school year, making it as great as possible for students and families.

“We have one more year,” Cook said. “And we’re going to make it count.”