The Archdiocese of San Francisco told families this week that St. Brigid Academy, a small K‑8 school with roots dating to 1888, will close before the upcoming school year, leaving parents scrambling only weeks before classes were supposed to start. The privately funded micro‑school focused on individualized support for neurodivergent and academically gifted students, offering unusually small class sizes. Families say that with the clock ticking toward fall, finding similar programs or securing public‑school services feels like a long shot.
What the archdiocese told families
According to a letter obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, Chris Fisher, the archdiocese superintendent of Catholic schools, told parents that leaders had exhausted every available alternative and that the school can no longer sustainably operate or fulfill its mission to your children. The letter also said deposits toward the $20,950 annual tuition would be refunded later in the summer. The Chronicle reported that St. Brigid served just over 40 students last year and was anticipating enrollment in the mid‑20s for the coming year.
The school's mission and recent changes
Saint Brigid Academy’s website describes the program as a micro‑Catholic K‑8 school that offers individualized instruction for students who are neurodivergent and academically gifted, and promotes a roughly 4:1 student‑teacher ratio. The school traces its history to 1888 and lists its campus at 2250 Franklin Street. School materials and diocesan coverage show that in 2024 the program shifted to a micro‑school, multi‑age model focused on language‑based learning differences and intensive small‑group instruction, aiming to be a tailored alternative to larger, traditional campuses.
Parents say students will lose a rare fit
Parents told the Chronicle that St. Brigid was truly a refuge for kids who didn’t fit in anywhere else, a place where students who had struggled in other settings finally found their footing. One mother, Lauren Koch, said the abrupt notice, which arrived while her family was on a long‑planned seven‑week trip, left them with no idea what to do now. Families say they are worried about securing the right specialized placements or wraparound services on such short notice and fear the impact of yet another major transition on children who had finally started to thrive. The archdiocese had not posted a public statement at the time of the Chronicle’s reporting.
Where this fits in a national picture
Nationally, Catholic education is in a complicated spot. The National Catholic Educational Association’s recent report finds that enrollment has held broadly steady in the short term even as long‑term declines continue. The data show a mix of new school openings, consolidations and closures across the country. Small, tuition‑dependent specialty programs, including micro‑schools built around low student‑teacher ratios, are especially vulnerable when enrollment drops and financial pressure mounts. That broader trend helps explain why dioceses may choose to close tiny specialty programs rather than continue to subsidize them indefinitely, according to the report. NCEA provides the statistical overview.
What families can do next
Families are being told to watch for detailed refund instructions from the archdiocese and to contact Saint Brigid’s office for records, billing and transcript requests. The school’s contact page lists (415) 673‑4523 and [email protected]. Parents seeking a public‑school placement or special‑education services can reach out to San Francisco Unified’s Enrollment Center to discuss available seats, waitlists and IEP transfers. For questions related to diocesan policy or long‑term records, families may also contact the Archdiocese Pastoral Center for additional guidance.
We will update this story as the archdiocese or the school releases more information about refunds, records and support for displaced families.
