We are PUENTE
“Everyone deserves access to quality education.
We’re moving the needle of achievement, guided by our unique approach that educates the whole student within the context of her or his family and community.”
Jerome Greening, PUENTE CEO
Our Impact
2,000+
Students Served Annually
97%
College Acceptance Rate
120,000+
Served Since 1985
892
Youth Case Management Sessions
68%
Higher CAASPP Math scores for PUENTE Charter compared with LAUSD
1,030
Adult education and workforce development students
Programs
Featured Stories
Meet Patricia
When Patricia was 16 years old, she got pregnant and dropped out of high school. She had always hoped to go back to school one day. But as the years went by, Patricia’s days revolved around her four...
Meet Nicole
For Nicole, PUENTE Learning Center’s free college program was a lifeline during the pandemic. A first-generation college student who was raised in a single-parent household, Nicole joined PUENTE’s...
Meet Grace
In 2006, Grace was three and starting in the PUENTE Preschool Program. From the first day, “I felt right at home,” says Grace who grew up with a single parent in Boyle Heights. While mom worked to...
Meet Kimberly
At the age of 9, Kimberly's life took a drastic turn when her parents, who were undocumented immigrants living in the United States, decided to move their family back to Mexico. Life was hard in...
Meet Kristian
Kristian first learned about PUENTE in 2017 when he was a junior at East College Prep High School in Lincoln Heights. As the first in his family to pursue a...
Meet Andy
Before he became PUENTE’s beloved Citizenship Prep instructor seven years ago, Andy Lippman had a longstanding career with The Associated Press. But it’s supporting PUENTE students that makes him...
Your gift can build a bridge to learning
for parents and students
Recent PUENTE news
PUENTE Preschool Achieves Highest Rating
PUENTE Preschool received a Tier 5 rating from Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA) – the highest recognition level attainable. A Tier 5 rating signifies a mastering of quality. PUENTE Preschool strives to go above and beyond these standards to provide high quality...
Facility Renovation Project Update
We have some new shots of our construction in progress. When it’s completed in 2025, the renovated PUENTE facility will include: (1) upgraded building to meet required occupancy codes and seismic standards, (2) exterior bracing, additional staircases, replaced walls,...
PUENTE Charter Elementary School Highlighted for Excelling in Service to English Learners
California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) highlighted PUENTE Charter Elementary School in its CharterNation publication, a premier source for charter schools news and stories from California. CCSA released a research brief earlier this month that offers new...
Thank you for supporting PUENTE Learning Center at !Servicio e Impacto!
We are deeply grateful to all of you who attended and contributed to !Servicio e Impacto! on Thursday, October 12th, 2023. Thanks to you, we’re thrilled to report that we raised over $65,000 (and counting!) in support of our programs and services that build bridges to...
A Message From The Riordan Foundation
For 38 years, PUENTE Learning Center has been building bridges to learning and opportunity in L.A.’s Boyle Heights community. Launched as a tutoring program for struggling first and second graders in a former Masonic Temple on East First Street, PUENTE is now a vital...