Puerto Rico Language Policy

By Mrentassa43

  • Bilingual education after the U.S. invasion

    Bilingual education is implemented in Puerto Rico after the United States invasion.

  • 1898 - 1900

    Dr. John Eaton and Dr. Victor Clark established that teachers learn English so they would have better chances of being hired.

  • 1900 -1902

    The Department of Public Instruction is created with a commissioner assigned. The policy would be that the elementary school will preserve the Spanish and the English would be a special subject and in high school would be otherwise taught in English and Spanish would be the special subject.

  • 1902 -1904

    English usage is increasing and 540 teachers were sent to the U.S. to study. An annual review of English teachers was established. One of the criteria for selection of teachers needed to know English.

  • 1905 -1913

    English is the language to be used at school. This took place with the following guidelines
    English courses for teachers
    English class once a week, mandatory for teachers
    Four to six weeks of summer school.
    Increase of ten dollars if the teacher was qualified to teach English
    Special tests of mathematics, geography, history and English
    Approval of law requiring an exam

  • 1913

    The introduction of Spanish in first grade in the areas of hygiene, health and reading.
    Presentation of a bill to make compulsory the Spanish as teaching and judicial processes.

  • 1921 – 1930

    The lawyer John B. Huyke Commissioner of Instruction puts more emphasis on English. English would be used inside and outside the classroom. English would be a plan that was to be carried out. Huyke wanted more to remove the “puertorriqueñidad” rather than to develop effective educational plan

  • 1930

    Difficult time to Puerto Rico.Language was the outstanding factor on the differences of Puerto Rico and the United States.Dr. Jose Padin explained that English was a foreign language and fought for the Spanish was the language of instruction. Not leave the English and given emphasis as in second language, and it is taught as a second language from the first grade. Padín recommended a bilingual education with evaluation to adjust the necessities of Puerto Rico.

  • 1916 -1934

    Established: Spanish instruction in grades one through four. English in half the subjects and the other half in Spanish in fifth grade through high school.

  • 1936

    Jose M Gallardo was appointed Commissioner of Education, I try to implement a bilingual program but was not allowed.

  • 1942

    The Spanish prevails through sixth grade and English continue as a subject.

  • 1948

    The vernacular was used as a way of instruction up to ninth grade.

  • 1949

    Dr. Mariano Villaronga decree that the vernacular be taught at all levels of the public school, ending the debate on bilingualism in the school year 1949 – 1950.

  • 1968

    January 2, Title VII is signed by President Johnson.

  • 1970

    Since 1970 the Department of Education and universities apply for funding to address the needs of students who travel between Puerto Rico and the United States, creating bilingual education.

  • 1917 – 1975

    There are debates for and against the Spanish and English.

  • 1972 - 1976

    Bilingual education boom with the court decision in the case Lau vs. Nichols. Bilingual education was implemented in Padre Rufo and Papa Juan XXIII schools. They signed the law on The certification on bilingual education.

  • 1979

    Since 1979 the U.S. Congress authorized funding for bilingual education project in Puerto Rico.

  • 1979 -1980

    In our schools there have been 84.834 students return to Puerto Rico, 59,810 seemed to need special services.

  • 1980 -1984

    The established program is no longer program it become a projects and sent to the English department.

  • 1988 -1992

    A new sensus indicates that there are 15.436 students back and funds are requested, Four projects approved for the Department of Education, two for the Metropolitan University, one for the Sacred Heart and two at the University of Turabo.

  • 1993

    Bilingual education is autonomous and Jose Arcenio Torres appoint a director of the bilingual education program

  • 2001 - 2009

    From 2001 to 2008 the Department of Education dismantled bilingual schools, in 2009 there were only 35 schools

  • Bilingual Education today

    Begin the projects BEC 21 and 'Schools for the 21st Century'