Puerto Rico Language Policy Timeline

By karym9
  • PR Teachers should learn English

    Dr John Eaton, Ex-Educational Commisioner and Victor Clark established that PR teachers had to learn English. The teachers that were prepared would have preference when being hired.
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    Puerto Rico Language Policy Timeline

  • Creation of Public Instruction Department

    The Department of Public Instruction is created with a assigned Commisioner.
  • Spanish in elementary and English in highschool

    Educational policy was to conserve Spanish and adquire English. Education in elementary grades were in Spanish with English as a special class. In High Schools all classes were in English and Spanish as a special class.
  • English as the Official Language

    The use of English increases, with the idea of making English as the Official Language in Puerto Rico Schools.
  • Summer Workshops for Teachers

    540 teachers where sent to Cornell and Harvard Universities to study English in summer.
  • Spanish is suppressed

    English is used as language of instruction in all grades.
  • English for all

    English is used as a medium for all grades in the educational sistem.
  • Law Project on Spanish like language of instruction

    Law presented to make spanish as language of instruction. Also Spanish in justice processes
  • Spanish and English

    Spanish willl be the language of instruction for first to fourth grade and English will be used in the half of the classes of fifth grade and spanish for the other half. The was also used in sixth to eighth and high schools.
  • World War I and Puerto Rico has American Citizenship

    Linguistic Controversy continues. World War I starts and puertoricans are given the american citizenship. In schools it is stated to teach the children about patriotism acts.
  • English at all times, also outside the classroom

    Juan B. Huyke became Instruction Commisioner. He enphasizes more English, encouraging to learn and use it at all times. It required to teachers and students to use outside classrooms, in meetings and conversations. The material was published in English or at least the half and Spanish publications were prohibited.
  • The Great Depression, English as a Foreign Language

    The depression affected all the aspects in PR, economics, social and educational aspects. Jose Padin was the commissioner and he exposed that English was a foreign language, He recommended the bilingual education with a continuous evaluation that were adjusted on PR necesities.
  • After 38 years of American Occupation, no English

    José M. Gallardo was a Education Commissioner. US President Roosevelt argued that puertoricans after 38 years of American occupation didn't learn English. His desire was that the education was in English because he wanted the next generation to speak English. Gallardo tried to implement the bilingual program but the protests didn't permit it.
  • Spanish up to Sixth Grade and English like a separate class.

    Spanish was the language of instruction and English continued as a separate class.
  • Spanish used upto ninth grade

    Spanish was used as language of instruction up to ninth grade.
  • Spanish as language of instruction

    Dr. Mariano Villaronga puts end to bilingual debate by decreeting Spanish as language of instruction for all levels of public schools for 1949-1950 school year. This is the educative politic that prevails today.
  • Bilingual Education Funds

    The Department of Education in PR and univeristies have requested funds to attend the necesities of the students that come back from the United States. This program is called Bilingual Education. It includes teaching in Spanish, English maintenance, puertorican culture, social services and other benefits.
  • Bilingual Projects in Padre Rufo and Papa Juan XXIII

    Bilingual Projects are established in two schools, Padre Rufo and Papa Juan XXIII.
  • Spanish Only Legislation

    Governor Rafael Hernandez Colon approved the Law Number 4 in April 5, 1991.
  • English and Spanish as official Languages

    Governor Pedro Roselló established the Law Number 1 in January 28, 1993, that stated both English and Spanish as official languages on the island.
  • New Bilingual projects

    New Bilingual Initiatives in Puerto Rico under BEC21 and ES21.