Overview
- The 138-year-old St. Brigid Academy shut its doors in late June 2026 after an Archdiocesan review concluded the school could not sustainably operate because of steep enrollment declines and related financial strain.
- Archdiocese officials say they explored mergers and other alternatives before deciding to close the K–8 microschool and that families will receive refunds of $20,950 tuition deposits and assistance finding new schools.
- The school served neurodivergent and gifted students in a 4-to-1 student‑teacher model, and parents say the abrupt timing leaves many families scrambling to find comparable placements weeks before the school year.
- The closure follows the Archdiocese’s roughly $395–$400 million settlement with hundreds of alleged clergy abuse survivors, a timing that has drawn public scrutiny even though spokespeople insist the two events are unrelated.
- The shutdown highlights broader fallout from California’s recent surge in abuse claims, which pushed several dioceses into bankruptcy or large settlements and has prompted other parish and school consolidations across the state.