Puerto Rico
News, analysis, and opinion about K-12 education in Puerto Rico
Education
Democrats Slam Plan to Close Hundreds of Schools in Puerto Rico
In a letter to Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, more than 30 members of Congress say closing these schools in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria would hurt 66,000 students and teachers and have a "disastrous impact" on student learning.
Education
DeVos Announces $693 Million in Disaster Aid for Calif., Puerto Rico, Texas Schools
The Puerto Rico Department of Education will receive $589 million of this Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations program money, while the Texas and California will receive smaller amounts.
Education
Puerto Rico to Close Nearly 300 Schools, But Ed. Secretary Pledges No Layoffs
The move would leave Puerto Rico with 828 public schools in a system that currently serves about 320,000 students. The planned closures would fuel growing debate over the direction of the island's school system after Hurricane Maria.
Education
Teachers' Union in Puerto Rico Files Lawsuit to Stop Charters and Vouchers
The Asociación de Maestros de Puerto Rico, which represents nearly 30,000 teachers working in the U.S. territory, filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in response to a new education law signed by Gov. Ricardo Rosselló late last month.
School Choice & Charters
Puerto Rico Governor Signs Bill to Expand Choice and Revamp Public Schools
Puerto Rico's legislature has approved a major education bill that will overhaul the island's educational system and pave the way for vouchers, as well as schools intended to resemble charters.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Video
Puerto Rico’s Students and Educators Grapple With Trauma
The long-term impacts of Hurricane Maria on the mental health of Puerto Rico’s children and teachers could have big repercussions on the island’s future. The Puerto Rico Department of Education is formally assessing the emotional and psychological state of its roughly 320,000 public school students. Officials worry that if they and their educators don’t get the support they need, the consequences could be severe.
School & District Management
A Status Report on Puerto Rico's Schools (Video)
Education Week provides an update from Puerto Rico on where the U.S. territory's schools stand several months after Hurricane Maria.
States
Video
Recovery and Controversy: A Status Report on Puerto Rico's Schools
Nearly all of Puerto Rico's schools have reopened since Hurricane Maria last fall. But many of them are struggling to operate with intermittent power and water, and some schools remain without electricity. Teachers and educators are feeling the strain in the classroom and beyond. And big, man-made changes could be in store: The island's governor wants to close about 300 schools and introduce new educational options, which has stirred up controversy.
Education
Sens. Sanders, Warren Blast Plans to Change Puerto Rico's School System
Senators and AFT President Randi Weingarten shared their views on the best ways to help Puerto Rico's public schools after Hurricane Maria hit the island last September.
Education
'It's Dark in the Classrooms': Stories From Puerto Rico Show the Stress on Schools
Check out the stories, videos, and more from our most recent reporting visit to Puerto Rico. Hundreds of schools could be shut down and the island's education system could soon undergo a serious overhaul.
School Climate & Safety
A Pair of Rural Schools Struggle Back in Puerto Rico
One isolated, the other in town, the two schools share a host of challenges in an area of the island hardest hit by Hurricane Maria five months ago.
School & District Management
Video
Roadblocks to Recovery in Puerto Rico
Transportation is one of the challenges Puerto Rico faces in getting its school system back on track five months after Hurricane Maria. Mountain roads remain difficult to drive and are often closed down to one lane while repair work takes place. Students can face long bus rides and traffic jams getting to school in some of the rural areas hardest hit by last year’s storm.
States
Tensions Rise Over Path Forward for Puerto Rico Schools
Five months after Hurricane Maria disrupted the island’s already struggling schools, education leaders disagree about how to get the system back on track.
School & District Management
Video
Tensions Rise as Puerto Rico's Schools Face New Reality
Puerto Rico's public schools were already facing major struggles before Hurricane Maria further destabilized them. The island's leaders are now seeking to close over a quarter of the schools and introduce schools similar to charters, among other major changes. They say these are necessary to provide students with a better education. But others are alarmed these proposals, saying that existing public schools and teachers should be supported, not supplanted.