School funded by billionaire Zuckerberg's wife to close as philanthropy shifts focus

The school, which has two campuses in the San Francisco area and serves 543 students, announced on its website that it will close at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year.

"This was a very difficult decision, and we are committed to ensuring a thoughtful and supportive transition for students and families over the next year," the organization said in a statement.

To continue supporting the community, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) will invest US$50 million over the coming years in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and the East Bay communities.

The investment includes setting up 529 education savings plans for students, providing transition specialists, and offering other support as families navigate the shift to new schools.

Chan, 40, a pediatrician and philanthropist, co-founded the school in 2016 with an approach that integrated health and education services for children and families, starting from birth and continuing through high school.

The nonprofit's first middle school cohort began in 2023. According to the school's most recent tax filing, more than 95% of students at its East Palo Alto campus come from underrepresented minority backgrounds. By the end of June 2023, the school reported having over $30 million in assets, according to Bloomberg.

The closure comes at a time when Zuckerberg's business operations are undergoing significant changes. Meta has been reshaping its policies, eliminating its U.S. fact-checking program, loosening its hate-speech regulations, and reducing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The company's philanthropic arm, CZI, has also faced scrutiny for scaling back on DEI efforts.