Mark Zuckerberg is worth billions. Why is his nonprofit school closing due to lack of funding?
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The Primary School in East Palo Alto was slated to serve 700 kids from preschool through eighth grade.
Laure Andrillon/Special to the S.F. ChronicleTwo of the richest people in the world made a slew of promises to low-income families when they opened a nonprofit school in East Palo Alto in 2016.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his pediatrician wife, Priscilla Chan, vowed that the Primary School would give their children a free education, with a long list of extras on top to overcome the odds the families faced.
No one thought the promises had an expiration date.
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Lastweek,hundredsoffamilieslearnedthePrimarySchoolwouldcloseattheendofthe2025-2026academicyear.Thentheyweretoldwhy:Therewasn’tenoughmoneytokeepitopen.
ZuckerbergandChan,worthanestimated$200billioncombined,werewalkingaway.
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Thenewsshookthefamiliesofthe443studentsattendingthePrimarySchoolinEastPaloAlto,whotriedtomakesenseofit.
Aweeklater,theywerestillwaitingforasolidexplanation.
