Education in Puerto Rico is overseen by the Department of Education of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Education Council. The Department oversees all elementary and secondary public education while the Council oversees all academic standards and issues licenses to educational institutions wishing to operate or establish themselves in Puerto Rico.
Instruction in Puerto Rico is compulsory between the ages of five and 18, which comprises the elementary and high school grades. Students may attend either public or private schools. As of 2013, the island had 1,460 public schools and 764 private schools; there were 606,515 K–12 students, 64,335 vocational students, and 250,011 university students. In 2021, the average public school size was 355 students.Estudio Revela Causas de Desercion Escolar. Es Noticia. Issue 157. 19 November - 2 December 2021. p.14. Accessed 19 November 2021. Because of damage caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017, a shrinking population, deteriorating infrastructure, and the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis, 283 schools were closed in Puerto Rico by 2018.
The literacy rate of the Puerto Rican population is 93%; when divided by gender, this is distributed as 92.8% for males and 93.8% for females. According to the 2000 Census, 60.0% of the population attained a high school degree or higher level of education, and 18.3% has a bachelor's degree or higher.
History
Early institutions
By 1509, Juan Ponce de León had requested aid in the diffusion of basic education from the General Governor of the Indies. It is unknown, but likely, that this led to the first school in Puerto Rico. The first school in Puerto Rico was the Escuela de Gramática (). The school was established by Bishop Alonso Manso in 1513, in the area where the Cathedral of San Juan was to be constructed. The school was free of charge and the courses taught were art, history, Latin language, literature, philosophy, science and theology."Hispanic Firsts", By; Nicolas Kanellos, publisher Visible Ink Press; ; p.40
Education would be tied to the Catholic Church from the beginning, as an ecclesiastical license was required to teach. Pious men educated in these schools would be assigned to occupy several offices throughout the Spanish empire. Colonial governors named by the Spanish crown consistently adopted Eurocentric stances that led to a number of political clashes, frequently resulting in the denial of educational proposals, the closing of institutions and the intervention with teachers (which were interfered with, stripped of certification or even exiled). Ultimately, the role of the teachers was persistently monitored by the authorities, who were concerned with the benefit of the curriculum to the stances of the metropole. In 1582, a donation by Antón Lucas allowed for the organization of a grammatical school at Sanct Alfonso Hospital. Another was established at the San Juan Cathedral seven years later with the patronage of Francisco Ruiz. In 1643, Jorge Cambero created a grammatical school at the Santo Domingo Convent at San Juan.
The concept of public school wasn't used on the island until 1739, and even then it operated with loose connection to the government. The first attempt to create a local university dates back to 1750, when physician Nicolás Ruiz lobbied in favor. Fellow doctors Miguel de Mena and Francisco Manuel de Acosta attempted to establish the Universidad de Nuestra Señora de Belén at Santo Tomás Convent in 1770. This coincided with arrangements made by governor Miguel de Muesas to create one at Santo Domingo Convent. In 1788, Iñigo Abad y Lasierra noted his perception that more schools were needed. That year, a school of philosophy was established at the Santo Domingo Convent. In 1795, an unsuccessful attempt was made to move the Universidad de la Española to San Juan following the signing of the Paz de Basilea. Additional petitions in 1797 and 1801 met the same fate.
Higher education and official system During the first half of the 19th Century, schools (both primary and secondary) founded by a number of individuals, including Carlos Martínez, Valeriano Sanmillán, Antonio Chiesa, Carlos Milano, Ramón de Carpegna, José María de Bobadilla, Juan Prudencio Monclova, Fulgencio Angla, Pedro García, Francisco Boneta and Julián Blanco, along a number of lyceums and other institutions. This also marked the debut of girls schools, beginning as early as 1802 with the one founded by Celestino Cordero. During the second half, institutions like the Colegio de San Juan and the Escuela Superior followed suit. Figures like Román Baldorioty de Castro also led private institutions. In 1809, the governor ordered the municipality of San Juan to take over public education. This marked a move towards a state regulated system.
Most of the students within the public system were divided by a dichotomy composed by the children of wealthy citizens (whose parents could afford education) and those that received aid from the regional governments. It wasn't until January 29, 1812, that black children were allowed by the Spanish authorities to attend, but segregation and state sposored discrimination were widespread. In other matters there was some progress, such as Salvador Meléndez Bruna bringing teaching material from Spain (including Catón Cristiano and Catecismo de la Doctrina Cristiana) and having it reprinted and distributed. The Governor also expressed his official opposition to physical punishment in schools in a piece dated August 17, 1813. The adoption of the 1812 Constitution brought with it orders to build elementary schools in all towns and maintain them.
On May 10, 1821, Aróstegui Herrera requested reports on the status of education to the mayors. He also approached the Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País about creating a school based on the monitorial system developed by Joseph Lancaster. The concept reached Puerto Rico within the year, when institutions opened under his philosophy at San Juan. Another would be inaugurated at Caguas in 1839. However, Ramón de Carpagna would later introduce the Wood philosophy to Landcastarian schools as well. The Asociación de Maestros de la Provincia was established, sponsoring the building of a warship named La Ilustración on behalf of the teachers. The teaching of foreign languages including Latin, English, German and French, were widespread throughout the 19th Century with initiatives of the church, schools and individuals. In 1823, experimental physics began being taught at the San Francisco Convent.
On March 4, 1823, the Cortes Nacionales authorized the establishment of a university in Puerto Rico. However, the French invasion and the Second Restoration prevented the materialization. The approval of a new constitution prompted Governor Juan Vasco y Pasqual to include the understanding of the document in the curriculum. The following year another approach was made to the king, meeting the same fate as its predecessors. In 1834, another proposals to create a university was drafted, but ultimately abandoned when the Estamento was dissolved. In 1838, the municipality of Guayama approached the governor about establishing a university at San Juan with an emphasis in medicine, jurisprudence and theology, which received the support of the Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País and the Comisión Permanente de Instrucción Pública (both of which proposed additions to the proposed curriculum). Ultimately, despite being forwarded by the Junta Ordinaria de la Sociedad and the governor, the proposal was ignored.
Religious figures as well as authors such as Torcuato Tomo de la Riva, Ernesto Ollero, Juan Prudencio Monclova and, Ramón Martínez Gandía and José Ferrer de Cuoto, among others were responsible for the books studied throughout the island. Competitions in matters such as calligraphy and school festivities such as the Fiesta del Árbol were introduced. By this point, the requirements to be a teacher remained based on the royal provisions from the 18th Century in which candidates were subjected to numerous evaluations by political, religious and certified teachers, as well as profess the Catholic faith and be of "pure blood", with the municipal government leading the process that concluded with the approval of the governor. On December 20, 1838, municipal commissions were given power in the process. The process to fill vacancies or name substitute teachers also involved the government.
On May 12, 1839, black children were allowed in the same institutions as white children, tough separately. Following a racial clash involving teacher Francisco Boneta, governor Miguel López de Baños suggested reimposing segregation in schools. The municipal government considered this troublesome, threading lightly on the topic. On February 4, 1846, the Comisión Superior de Instrucción issued a disposition establishing a race line at schools. In some cases, such as a School at Mayagüez, the separation of students was not enough to prevent wealthy white parents from withdrawing their children from the institutions once black children enrolled. This, in turn, affected the income of the teachers. Multiple initiatives implemented during the following decade responded to ongoing class and racial struggles, with lines emerging between the average local population and the Peninsular and wealthier residents. Awards, were used to promote attendance and such as the First Class Award (established in 1841) given to the best student in Puerto Rico and the Second Class Award given to the next eight. Other recognitions were also given to emphasize matters like hygiene.
The Catholic Church continued its involvement with local education, with Bishop Pedro Gutiérrez del Arroyo beginning the efforts to build the Seminario Conciliar. The institution officially opened on July 2, 1832, with emphasis on religious education and theology, but also featuring scientific education that included mathematics, as well as philosophy and language. The inaugural enrollment was of 33 students, all of which were submitted to a number of religious and health evaluations, a number that increased systematically afterwards and included a dozen poor students. Among its graduates were José Julián Acosta and Julián Blanco Sosa. The Seminario passed to the Society of Jesus at the request of governor José de Lemery. Afterwards, the Jesuits renamed the institution to Seminario-Colegio. In 1848, a school for the deaf was established at San Juan.
Specialized schools emerged during the mid-Century. Rufo Manuel Fernández involved in a series of initiatives on chemistry and physics. On June 27, 1844, he led an initiative to create a university with the support of the Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País, which also lobbied to create a college specializing on medicine. After money was collected throughout Puerto Rico, the group approached governor Juan de la Pezuela, who objected and forced the devolution of the money. Other practices such as drawing, mathematics, law, commerce, geography, chemistry, were sponsored by the Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País, operating along similar initiatives established by the crown, government, municipalities and individuals. In 1848, a Music Academy was created under Carlos Allard. Other initiatives included courses offered by the Casino de Artesanos de San Juan. On November 18, 1854, a school focusing on agricultural, commercial and nautical topics was established at San Juan. Military education saw emphasis in 1860 and 1876, with the establishment of the Escuela Militar and Academia de Ciencias y Preparatoria para Carreras Especiales respectively.