Focusing Efforts for Educational System Improvements in Puerto Rico

By: Chris Soto, Senior Advisor, Place of work of the Secretary

The Puerto Rico schooling program is at a pivotal minute with several influences converging to help speed up constructive improve for the Puerto Rico Section of Education and learning, and ultimately the pupils it serves. The mix of the influx of federal reduction pounds, a strengthened connection with the U.S. Section of Schooling, and an island-large recognition of the urgency for structural alterations that handle root triggers and prioritize university student results, delivers an chance to get a proactive technique towards addressing extensive-standing worries.

It was just in excess of a year back when U.S. Secretary of Education and learning Miguel Cardona reaffirmed the U.S. Office of Education’s commitment to assistance the learners of Puerto Rico. Because then, the work has progressed like constant engagement with stakeholders across the island making certain everyone’s voice is bundled as Puerto Rico invests approximately 5 billion dollars of federal education and learning aid funds to reply to the requires of learners and educators. Many thanks to the enable of these federal money, educational facilities reopened with a nurse in most properties, hundreds of college psychologists ended up hired, an island-vast just after-university application was introduced and most appreciably, instructors will see a sizeable pay back maximize commencing in the future school yr.

The Section of Schooling also constituted the Puerto Rico Training Sustainability (PRES) Staff, which to begin with concentrated on three essential areas: economical duty, harmless and healthier college properties, and federal plan support. Our colleagues at the Federal Crisis Administration Company (FEMA) have been doing the job closely with the Puerto Rico Office of Education and learning (PRDE) as they craft a master infrastructure prepare for the mend and rebuilding of educational facilities. Alvarez & Marsal, the PRDE’s Third-Social gathering Fiduciary Agent, has been embedded at the PRDE and will soon release a corrective action strategy for fiscal enhancements. And right now, the Office is releasing a extensive complex aid program that responds instantly to the requires of PRDE employees in the management of federal packages and funds.

Moreover, we’ve engaged directly with Puerto Rico’s legislature, internet hosting an informational session about the historic sum of federal education and learning funds manufactured available to the island and the Division bolstered the Secretary’s message of transparency as investments are created. We have also labored with the PRDE, sharing greatest follow illustrations of point out dashboards that monitor the spending of reduction bucks these kinds of as individuals in New Mexico and Louisiana.

Subsequent two natural disasters and a international pandemic, it is critical that belief is rebuilt with students and families across the island. The community should be knowledgeable of how federal funds are contributing to the academic recovery of their colleges and in fact see the positive aspects in lecture rooms across the island.

While progress has been created, we know there is far more do the job to do.

During this calendar year, it has turn out to be apparent that in order to realize transformational change, we will have to collectively handle the longstanding systemic problems that go on to hinder the successful operation of Puerto Rico’s training program. Which is why the Division of Instruction, in collaboration with the PRDE and by means of responses obtained from stakeholders, will acquire a Memorandum of Knowing (MOU) pinpointing certain parts for improvement that are significant to the system’s achievement. Official listening classes will be held during the island in purchase to be certain greatest participation from students, mother and father, lecturers, and stakeholders. This MOU will depict the future phase of our collective do the job.

As communicated in Puerto Rico’s ARP ESSER Prepare acceptance letter, ongoing engagement with all stakeholders is vital to be certain that implementation of Puerto Rico’s recovery system and the use of federal pounds is transparent, effective, equitable, inclusive, and most effective fulfills the needs of Puerto Rico’s learners.

Today is another step toward development in purchase to fulfill the second for the students of Puerto Rico.