Planned dual language charter school receives funding boost

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For Immediate Release

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July 8, 2026

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OKLAHOMA CITY — A planned dual language charter school in northwest Oklahoma City has received a major funding boost with the approval of a bridge loan from local nonprofit, the Oklahoma Impact Investing Collaborative (the Collaborative), a subsidiary of MetaFund.

Established in March 2025 and slated to open in the fall of 2027, the Puentes y Puertas Dual Language Charter School became the first charter school approved by the Putnam City Public Schools Board of Education. The school was developed to bring high-quality dual-language instruction serving both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking students, while responding to the growing linguistic and cultural diversity in northwest Oklahoma City.

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The school is aptly named Puentes y Puertas which means Bridges and Doors. It is committed to building bridges between cultures and opening doors to opportunities for every child. The school’s mission is to prepare elementary students to become bilingual, biliterate, and academically successful through an immersive, two-way dual-language program that builds strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, and language proficiency.

Puentes y Puertas has long been a passion of founder and Executive Director, Robert M. Ruiz. He is a community leader with deep ties to Oklahoma City’s education, business, and civic sectors having most recently served as Chief Innovation and Technology Officer and Executive Director of External Affairs at Oklahoma City Community College.

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“MetaFund and the Oklahoma Impact Investing Collaborative are helping solve one of the most important challenges new schools face: timing,” said Robert M. Ruiz, founder and executive director of Puentes y Puertas.

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In May 2026, Puentes y Puertas was awarded a $2 million Charter School Program (CSP) subgrant administered by the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center (OPSRC) through funding from the United States Department of Education. The competitively awarded three-year grant provides yearly funding for planning and implementation expenses. Since the grant is reimbursement-based, Puentes y Puertas must first cover eligible costs with its own capital before seeking reimbursement.

To help the school meet those financial requirements, the Collaborative is providing a bridge loan to support cash flow needs during the three-year CSP grant period. The loan will provide upfront working capital for startup costs such as instructional materials, technology, curriculum development, staff training, and certain pre-opening personnel expenses.

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“Our CSP grant gives us significant startup support, but because it is reimbursement-based, we must first have the working capital to begin the work. This bridge financing allows us to move forward responsibly with curriculum, classroom materials, technology, professional development, and pre-opening systems so that we are ready to serve students and families well from day one,” Ruiz noted.

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Puentes y Puertas plans to open for the 2027-2028 school year with an estimated 160 students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade. The school will grow by adding one grade level each year through 5th grade before expanding into middle school.

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"We are proud to partner with Puentas y Puertas, whose leadership team has cast a bold vision for dual-language education in northwest Oklahoma City. The Collaborative's mission is to invest in organizations that strengthen communities and improve outcomes for children and families,” said Austin Marshall, Business Development Officer for the Collaborative. “Puentes y Puertas perfectly aligns with that mission, and we are honored to support this impactful work.”

In addition to its core academic program, Puentes y Puertas plans to launch a Teaching Academy to develop bilingual educators and create workforce pathways.

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More information about Puentes y Puertas can be found on their website at https://www.puentesypuertas.org/.

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Media Contact:

Ed Long

‍(405) 922-7580

‍Elong@metafund.org

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