Now Reading: Zuckerberg-backed California school closes after $125 million funding
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Zuckerberg-backed California school closes after $125 million funding
Zuckerberg-backed California school closes after $125 million funding
The Primary School, co-founded by Priscilla Chan in East Palo Alto in 2016, closed in June after receiving more than $125 million from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Its board voted unanimously in…
The Story in Brief
The Primary School, co-founded by Priscilla Chan in East Palo Alto in 2016, closed in June after receiving more than $125 million from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Its board voted unanimously in April 2025 to wind down operations after learning that CZI would not continue funding beyond the 2025-26 academic year.
The tuition-free school combined teaching with healthcare, mental health support and family services for low-income children. But a Stanford study found that 26% of students in third grade or higher met literacy standards in spring 2025, against 47% statewide. CZI pledged $50 million for the transition, including education savings accounts and support for local organisations.
The Indian Opinion
The easy story is that philanthropy either transformed public education or wasted a fortune. Both claims miss the record. The school offered valuable health and family services, yet its academic results lagged state standards and its model faced leadership and funding problems. A private donor cannot substitute indefinitely for a stable public system. The fair test now is whether the transition funding helps every displaced child secure a place and whether their literacy results improve next year.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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