69传媒

States Interactive

See the Effects of Puerto Rico鈥檚 Plan to Close 69传媒

June 19, 2018 | Updated: July 07, 2021 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Updated: A previous version of this page included an interactive map, which has since been removed.

Hurricane Maria severely disrupted Puerto Rico鈥檚 public schools when it hit Sept. 20, 2017. Now, the island鈥檚 education system is poised to undergo a controversial transition.

In response to the storm as well as falling enrollment and the government鈥檚 long-term financial woes, the Puerto Rico Department of Education plans to close nearly 25 percent of its public schools before the 2018-19 school year begins. Under the plan, 263 schools will close and 847 schools will remain open.

Government leaders say consolidating schools is a necessary step to reorganize and improve the U.S. territory鈥檚 schools, but critics鈥攊ncluding the leaders of the island鈥檚 teachers鈥 union鈥攕ay the closures will drive away families and teachers, as well as upend communities. Younger students could be hit particularly hard: Among the schools scheduled for closure, at least 85 percent include a K-5 grade. These closures are subject to a legal battle currently taking place in the island鈥檚 courts.

Puerto Rico Secretary of Education Julia Keleher said many schools educate far fewer students than they have room for鈥攏early 500 schools had a utilization rate of less than 60 percent, she pointed out. Consolidating schools will help Puerto Rico 鈥済uarantee access to books and teachers and resources in a positive, inviting learning environment,鈥 Keleher said. Enrollment on the island has been dropping for some time; last summer, the island shut down roughly 180 public schools.

Click here to read more of our coverage of Puerto Rico鈥檚 schools after Hurricane Maria, from the physical impact to students鈥 mental and emotional health.

Sources: Puerto Rico Department of Education. (Google Distance API Matrix was used to calculate driving distances.)
Reporter: Andrew Ujifusa
Analysis and Visualization: Maya Riser-Kositsky, Francisco Vara-Orta, Vanessa Solis, Gina Tomko

This story was previously published with the headline, 鈥淪ee the 69传媒 Puerto Rico Plans to Close and Where Displaced 69传媒 Will Go鈥

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69传媒
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What鈥檚 Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What鈥檚 Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥 elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

States Oklahoma Superintendent Prays for Trump in Video He's Requiring for 69传媒
Two of the state's largest districts say they won't show the video, in which Superintendent Ryan Walters prays for the president-elect.
2 min read
Ryan Walters, Republican state superintendent candidate, speaks, June 28, 2022, in Oklahoma City.
Ryan Walters, Republican state superintendent candidate, speaks, June 28, 2022, in Oklahoma City.
Sue Ogrocki/AP
States In Deep-Red Florida, Voters Reject Partisan School Board Races
Florida voters rejected a constitutional amendment to make school board races partisan.
2 min read
Image of a board room.
Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week (Images: DigitalVision Vectors; E+; iStock/Getty)
States Democrat Defeats a State 69传媒 Chief Candidate Who Called for Public Executions
A candidate's past calls for Democrats' executions thrust one of this year's four state superintendent races into the national spotlight.
3 min read
N.C. State Superintendent democratic candidate Mo Green speaks during a debate with fellow candidate Michele Morrow at the Heart Institute at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., on Sept. 24, 2024.
Mo Green, the Democratic candidate for schools chief in North Carolina, speaks during a debate with GOP candidate Michele Morrow at the Heart Institute at East Carolina University in Greenville on Sept. 24. Green defeated Morrow.
Scott Davis/The Daily Reflector via AP
States The Number of States That Require 69传媒 to Teach Cursive Is Growing
Here are the states that require schools to teach cursive handwriting.
1 min read
Photo of child practicing cursive writing.
iStock / Getty Images Plus