Puerto Rico Department of Education facts for kids
| Departamento de Educación de Puerto Rico | |
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | April 12, 1900 |
| Preceding agency |
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| Type | Executive department |
| Jurisdiction | Commonwealth of Puerto Rico |
| Headquarters | San Juan, PR |
| Employees | 75,000 |
| Annual budget | $3.5 billion USD |
| Agency executive |
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| Key documents |
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| Website | www.de.pr.gov |
The Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDOE), also known as the Departamento de Educación de Puerto Rico, is a government agency. It manages public schools across Puerto Rico. It is one of only two public education systems in the United States that covers an entire state or territory. The other is in Hawaii.
The PRDOE is in charge of the island's education system and what students learn in school. Its main office is in Hato Rey, San Juan. It is the largest agency in Puerto Rico's government. As of 2019, it had a budget of over $3.5 billion USD. It also had over 72,000 staff members, including more than 41,000 teachers. In 2020, it was the third-largest school district in the United States by student numbers. It served over 276,413 students in 857 schools.
The department used to be called the Department of Public Instruction of Puerto Rico. All public schools in Puerto Rico must be approved by the Puerto Rico Education Council.
Contents
History of Education in Puerto Rico
The Department of Education was officially created on July 25, 1952. This happened under the rules set in the Constitution of Puerto Rico.
In 1950, Puerto Rico had 74 school districts. Each district was led by a superintendent. Juan Bernardo Huyke was a superintendent in Bayamón in 1950. He also became the Secretary of Education of Puerto Rico. He wrote many books and strongly believed in teaching students in both English and Spanish.
In 2012, Governor Luis Fortuño started a program called "21st Century." This program aimed to make schools more modern. About 100 schools were updated using special funds.
In 2016, a group called the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico began to help manage Puerto Rico's money. This included the education budget. The board has sometimes suggested reducing funds for education.
In 2017, Julia Keleher became the Secretary of Education. Around that time, due to money problems, the department announced that some schools would close. About 179 schools were closed. These empty buildings often caused problems in communities. In Lares, some unused school buildings were turned into places for the farming industry.
Puerto Rico's economy has faced challenges. This has led to fewer people living on the island. As a result, the number of students has also gone down. In 2020, the department had 16,105 fewer students than the year before.
The department has also needed more staff, including teachers and principals. Many times, hundreds of new staff members were needed. In 2018, the start of the school year faced problems because of staff shortages. This sometimes caused schools to delay opening.
In September 2020, the U.S. government approved $13 billion for Puerto Rico. These funds were meant to help rebuild power systems and the education system. The department still faced money challenges in 2021.
The 2019–20 Puerto Rico earthquakes damaged several schools. Getting money for repairs took time, which delayed classes from starting again.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Schools
In 2021, the department offered summer classes for 37,000 students. These students were at risk of not moving to the next grade. This was partly because of problems with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant about 20% of students were struggling.
In spring 2021, Governor Pedro Pierluisi tried to reopen schools. However, these plans were delayed. When schools did reopen, some did not have enough teachers, psychologists, or custodians. Students who could get vaccinated were asked to do so.
For the August 2021 school year, the department tried to buy air purifiers. But this purchase was stopped by the Financial Oversight Board. They said the process for buying them was not fair.
In March 2021, the department decided to add gender studies to the school curriculum for 2022. This was part of a plan to address violence based on gender.
How the Department of Education Works
Specialized Schools Unit (UnEE)
The Department of Education has different sections. One is the Projects Educational Transformation area. This area includes the Specialized Schools Unit (UnEE). These are like magnet schools. They focus on certain subjects, like science or arts. They often have higher requirements for students to get in. Famous UnEE schools include CROEM and University Gardens High School.
Montessori Schools
The department also has a special program for Montessori education. This program is run by the Auxiliary Secretariat of Montessori Education (SAEM). As of 2021, 47 schools use this teaching style. About 13,500 students are in these schools. The Instituto Nueva Escuela works with this program. It helps create learning materials for Montessori schools.
School Uniforms
In the past, all students had to wear school uniforms. Only students with medical reasons could be excused. In 2020, the department changed this rule. Now, students can wear any solid-colored t-shirt, polo, or button-up shirt. Public schools cannot require a specific uniform. This means families can buy school clothes from any store. These changes started in the 2021–2022 school year.
Secretaries of Education
The person in charge of the Department of Education is called the Secretary. The governor of Puerto Rico chooses this person. Then, the Senate must approve the choice.
Here are some of the recent Secretaries:
- 2013–2017: Rafael Román Meléndez
- 2017–2019: Julia Keleher
- 2019–2021: Eligio Hernández Pérez
- 2021–2021: Elba Aponte
- 2021–2021: Magali Rivera
- 2021–2021: Eliezer Ramos Parés
Images for kids
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A public school in Naguabo, Puerto Rico in 2020
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The Specialized Schools Unit's logo, the Department of Education's magnet school division.
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Three students at the Belen Blanco de Zequeira School in Loíza
See also
In Spanish: Departamento de Educación del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico para niños
