reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143k - School charter

The school charter is the official document upon, which the agreement by virtue of which a school of the Public Education System is granted the status of community school, is based. Said agreement shall be signed by the Secretary, as party of the first part, and by the school, as party of the second part, as represented by its Director and the Chairperson of the School Council. [The charter shall be displayed in prominent areas of the school.] The charter shall include objectively measurable and verifiable expectations regarding the quality and effectiveness of the teaching process in the school, such as retention, graduation and university admission rates, among others, which may serve as guidelines for the parents, the persons in charge of the students and the students themselves to be able to determine the desirability of enrolling and remaining in said school.
The charter shall acknowledge the academic, fiscal and administrative autonomy of the school; prescribe the commitment of the teachers to practice the teaching profession so that the purposes set forth in § 143a of this title as the objectives of the Public Education System may be fulfilled; commit the Director and the School Council to promoting and maintaining a sound environment for learning that will allow the orderly development of the school; and spell out in detail the obligations of the latter towards its students and the community.
The charter shall furthermore commit the Director to observe sound management practices and standards for the administrative and academic endeavors of the school as well as to implement the legal and regulatory provisions that lend coherence to the Public Education System.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.09.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143l - Charter effectiveness

The charter of a school shall have a term of effectiveness of three (3) years after which it must be renewed. Renewal shall be made after an evaluation of the performance of the school has been conducted and after verifying that the school has complied with the commitment it contracted after being granted community school status. During the course of the evaluation, the Secretary, the Director and the Chairperson of the School Council may ratify the basis of the agreement previously signed and may also modify or amend the same.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.10.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143m - Nature of the charter and school evaluation

The charter of a school does not constitute a certification of accreditation nor shall it stand for those certifications the General Council on Education must issue to the schools of the Public Education System after the evaluation required by law. These are two separate certifications that respond to complementary, though different, purposes.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.11.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143n - Loss of recognition as community school

The Secretary shall withdraw his/her recognition to a community school and render its charter ineffective when:
(a) It is confirmed that the educational endeavor is ineffective.
(b) Administrative deficiencies or irregularities that justify said action exist.
(c) The school incurs, or allows persons under its control to incur, significant violation of the laws or the regulations which govern the Public Education System; fails to comply with the agreements set forth in its charter; or fails to observe the principles that underlie the public policy on education.
Withdrawal of recognition of a school based on the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall entail the loss of accreditation of the school should the Council on General Education so decide.
The Secretary shall provide, through regulations, for all matters pertaining to the temporary operation of the schools that loose [sic] their recognition, a condition under which they may not remain for over one year. If at the end of said term the school has not recovered its recognition, the Secretary shall grant an additional term of ninety (90) working days. If the difficulties that hinder the renewal of the charter are not resolved during that term, the Secretary shall remove from office the school personnel responsible for said situation. The students of the schools whose recognition as community schools has been revoked shall enjoy the services offered to all other students of the System.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.12.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143p - School Director—Appointment and qualifications

The Director shall be appointed by the Secretary pursuant to the laws and regulations in effect. At the time the appointment is issued, the person thus designated shall be of legal age, and a citizen of the United States. He/she shall also be a professional teacher, with at least five (5) years of teaching experience and shall have training that accredits him/her as a school administrator.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.14.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143q - School Director—Evaluation of performance

The Director shall hold office for an unspecified period, but his/her performance shall be subject to periodic evaluations by the Secretary and the school board. The evaluations shall be made according to the procedure established by the Secretary, through regulations.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.15.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143r - School Director—Grounds for removal from office

The Secretary, after a hearing to such effect, may remove a school director from office for any of the following reasons:
(a) A negative report of his/her performance after the corresponding evaluation procedure.
(b) Be charged [with] or convicted [of] a crime, or a misdemeanor, which implies depravation.
(c) Negligence in the performance of his/her duties or neglect of his/her obligations.
(d) Serious charges against him/her in audits of the Office of the Comptroller or the Department of Education.
(e) Any other grounds indicated in §§ 274 et seq. of Title 18.
Any director facing the charges indicated in subsections (b) and (d) of this section, shall be summarily suspended from his/her functions by the Secretary while the charges are discussed.
The Secretary shall establish the corresponding procedure for the removal of a director, through regulations.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.16.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143s - Designation of deputy director

With the approval of the school board and the ratification of the Secretary, the Director shall designate a deputy director from among the members of the teaching staff to assist him/her in the administrative tasks of the school. The deputy director shall have a designated teaching appointment and may perform the functions of the director when the director is absent, is on vacation, or cannot perform them for any other reason. The Secretary may delegate the function that he/she is charged with in this section [to] officials under his direction.
In the case of schools with more than one thousand (1,000) students enrolled, the Secretary may designate a second director who shall perform his/her functions under the supervision of the first.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.17.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143t - Nepotism prohibited

No appointments to transitory or regular positions in a school shall be made of persons within the fourth grade of consanguinity or affinity to the director or members of the school board of said school.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.18.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143u - School Board—Composition

Each school shall have a school board. The four components of the school shall be represented therein in the manner provided by the regulations promulgated by the Secretary. The number of members of each school board shall depend on the classification of the school, but shall not be less than seven (7) nor more than fifteen (15) members. The representation of the teaching personnel shall always be in the majority.
The directors shall not preside over the school boards; they shall have voice and vote on its deliberations and, as the main executives of the school, shall enforce the agreements that said bodies adopt with regard to the matters under its jurisdiction.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.19.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143v - School Board—Organization and operations

The school boards shall adopt regulations for its government; shall elect its own officials; shall meet at least once a month in non-working hours; and when deemed convenient, may request the professional or technical counsel of the Department.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.20.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143w - School Board—Functions

The School Board shall have the following functions:
(a) Identify and collaborate in the solution of community problems and develop programs of services addressed thereto.
(b) Authorize the disbursement of school funds.
(c) Evaluate the Director’s reports regarding the administration of the school’s budget.
(d) See to the care and maintenance of the school grounds, installations and equipment.
(e) Establish plans for the internal security of the school with the Director; [Provided, also,] That same shall prepare, develop and carry out a mock drill in the school community to safely address in a safe, orderly, prudent and reasonable manner any emergency situations that may arise during the first ten (10) days after the beginning of every school semester. Said exercise or action plan shall include the following: (1) immediate and effective measures to be taken in case of emergency, such as evacuation plans, safe areas into which the students shall be moved, communications with support agencies, parents and persons related to the school, among others; and (2) provisions for reducing or preventing damages to the students, teachers and other teaching and non-teaching personnel.
(f) Receive and evaluate the proposed budget prepared by the Director for the school before remitting it to the Department.
(g) Approve the regulations of the school.
(h) Prepare a system with the Director to refer any cases of child abuse detected in the school to the Department of the Family or any other competent authority, and follow-up the same.
(i) Advise the Director on any other matter related to the school.
The Council shall create working groups and request the specialized personnel required to execute its work from the Department. It shall also create a group constituted by representative members of the teaching personnel to:
(a) Advise the Director in the drafting of the school’s study plan and its program of activities.
(b) Evaluate changes in the curriculum drawn up by the Director or the teachers in view of the needs and interests of the students and the standards of the Puerto Rico Public School System.
(c) Collaborate with the Director in drafting the programs for students who have fallen behind academically, and students with high academic yield.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.21; Sept. 3, 2003, No. 252, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143x - School Board—Protection of the members

The members of the school boards shall not incur civil liability of a personal nature for their actions or omissions in their compliance with the obligations of their office, as defined in the law and the regulations that govern the Puerto Rico Public School System.
Nevertheless, no school board or a member thereof, shall claim immunity under this section for actions that intentionally injure the recognized rights of the members of the teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Department or students of the Puerto Rico Public School System.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.22.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143y - School Board—Dissolution

The Secretary shall order the dissolution of any School Board that remains inactive for three (3) months or more, or that fails to comply with the provisions of §§ 143a—146f of this title or the regulations adopted thereunder. He/she shall also provide for the corresponding election of a new School Board within a term not to exceed thirty (30) working days, to be counted from the date of dissolution of the School Board.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.23; Aug. 20, 2009, No. 84, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 143z - Student Council

The students of each school shall decide on the composition of its student council. The standards of procedure thereof shall be determined by its members pursuant to the general guidelines prepared by the Secretary.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.24.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter II - The School (§§ 143c — 144) › § 144 - Student Council—Function

The Student Council shall be [the] official representative of the student body of a school before the Department, the Director, the faculty, the school board and the community. As such it may:
(a) Organize activities according to the norms and regulations in effect.
(b) Elect a student representative to the school board.
(c) Present the opinion of the student body on the academic offerings and the services of the school.
(d) State their opinions and present ideas on matters of interest to the school.
(e) Participate in the drafting of the disciplinary regulations of the school and help to implement it.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 2.25.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144a - Raison d’etre of the educational system

The activities of the school shall be centered on the student: the point of departure and goal of the educational system. The disbursements of the school shall be validated by its relationship with the teaching staff; with student services; or with parent or community activities as provided by §§ 143a—146f of this title. The Comptroller’s Office and the auditors of the Department shall keep this provision in mind when auditing the disbursements of the schools.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.01.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144b - Individual differences and school offerings

The school shall organize its offerings based on the idea that each student is a person with individual needs, aspirations and aptitudes. Correspondingly, the school:
(a) Shall provide services to students with disabilities as directed by §§ 1351 et seq. of Title 18, known as the “Integral Educational Services for Persons with Disabilities Act”, and the applicable federal laws and regulations.
(b) Shall implement remedial programs for students who have fallen behind academically, as well as for students at risk of dropping out of school.
(c) Shall provide courses for students with high academic yield or special abilities.
(d) Shall provide vocational guidance services to its enrollment.
(e) Shall provide guidance services to its students to help them understand and manage the typical problems of their age group.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.02.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144c - Pertinence of study programs

The study programs of the school shall adjust to the needs and experiences of its students. The directors, teachers, and school boards shall ensure that the courses imparted by the School:
(a) Are pertinent to the social, cultural and geographical needs of its students.
(b) Stimulate the imagination and awaken the curiosity of the students.
(c) Provide the opportunity for students to develop the capacity to observe and reason.
(d) Train students in the search for information through traditional and electronic media. To such effects, students shall be provided with learning activities related to technological literacy, which shall be integrated to the educational curriculum of the public education system.
(e) Promote a healthy physical development through requirement of participation in physical education courses.
(f) Allow students to broaden their vocabulary and develop oral and written communication skills in Spanish as well as in English.
(g) Provide information and orientation to the students on the sexual development of human beings; family relations; problems of adolescence; personal finances; and on any other topics that the school or the Secretary deem are pertinent.
(h) Develop the student’s learning skills.
[(i) Added by Act No. 159-2012. See editor's note below.]
(j) Include universal values such as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship, without interfering with the objectives of the school, in order to achieve an integrated education, developing positive attributes in character and emotional and social skills fundamental to daily life.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.03; Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 3; Feb. 24, 2011, No. 21, § 1; Aug. 7, 2012, No. 160, § 1, retroactive to July 1, 2012.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144c-1 - Physical education

Schools shall provide all students a minimum of three (3) weekly hours on physical education. All schools shall be guaranteed a physical education teacher. In the case of schools with a registration of over two hundred and fifty (250) students, additional teachers shall be appointed for every two hundred and fifty (250) students or fraction thereof. It is further Provided, That the integration of modern technology instruments shall be included to provide students information on physical education. Computers, communications, and audio-visual equipment shall be understood to be modern technology instruments.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, added as § 3.04 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4; May 19, 2006, No. 100, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144d - Sex education

The schools, with the advice of the Department, shall implement sexual education programs for the students. These will emphasize the physiological and emotional aspects of sexual relations, as well as the family responsibilities related thereto, and the risks entailed as a result of these relationships.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.04, renumbered as § 3.05 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144e - Activities

The schools shall stimulate its students to participate in curricular and extra-curricular activities; promote projects they initiate; encourage them to organize to provide tutorships or render services to the school and the community; and collaborate with them in holding activities that answer to their interests.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.05, renumbered as § 3.06 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144f - Promotion of students

The Secretary shall draft norms that apply to the entire Public Education System with regard to:
(a) The study program corresponding to each grade and level of the System.
(b) The level of skills or knowledge that the students should achieve on the conclusion of each stage of the educational process.
(c) Ways of evaluating the students’ progress.
(d) Promotion of students from one grade or level to another.
(e) Services that must be offered to students that have fallen behind academically or at risk of dropping out of school.
No general standards on promotion into grades will be implemented based on special examinations to be given to the students of the Public Education System, until the Secretary certifies that the Department has reliable tests that are capable of measuring the academic progress of students of varied backgrounds without the interference of non-academic factors that could influence the result of the tests. Lacking the certification of the Secretary, each school shall administer its examinations for promotion based on the directives issued by the Department.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.06, renumbered as § 3.07 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144g - School environment

The Secretary shall promulgate student regulations for the Public Education System. The School Boards shall also adopt complementary regulations for their schools. These regulations shall specify the rights and obligations of the students, the standards of behavior in the schools and shall establish the corresponding sanctions for their infraction. The regulations that are promulgated by the Secretary, as well as those adopted by the school boards, shall recognize the right of the students to their personal safety, free from harassment and bullying; to study in a wholesome environment; to privacy and personal dignity; to promote the development of student organizations; to a fair evaluation of their academic work; to a careful custody of the documents related to their academic history and student life; to select their trade or profession freely; to receive vocational guidance services or other specialized services; to an education that shall allow them to continue their higher education or provide access to the job market in and outside of Puerto Rico; and to organize and participate in the activities of their schools.
The regulations shall also recognize the students’ obligation to attend school; to comply with their school assignments; to be honest; to help their fellow students; to respect the physical and moral integrity of their teachers and fellow students; to render services to their school and the community in case of an emergency; and to respect the other students right to study.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.07, renumbered as § 3.08 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4; Apr. 29, 2008, No. 49, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144g-2 - School environment—Establishment of a code of conduct for students

The Secretary shall adopt, within the Student Regulations for the Public Education System, a code of conduct for its students, which shall be in harmony with the norms, rules and public policy established in § 144g-1 of this title.
History —July 15, 1999, No, 149, added as § 3.08b on Apr. 29, 2008, No. 49, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144g-3 - School environment—Presentation of reports on harassment and bullying incidents

Pursuant to the procedures provided and adopted by the Secretary in coordination with the School Boards in the Student Regulations for the Public Education System, all students, personnel or volunteers in public schools who submit a report in good faith containing information regarding an incident involving the harassment and bullying of a student by a bully, shall be protected against any action for damages or retaliation that should arise as consequence of reporting said incident.
History —July 15, 1999, No, 149, added as § 3.08c on Apr. 29, 2008, No. 49, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144g-4 - School environment—Programs, activities, training workshops, awareness and counseling regarding harassment and bullying among students

The Secretary, in coordination with the School Directors and the School Boards, shall provide the public school employees and students the opportunity to participate in programs, activities and training workshops designed and developed to be educated and acquire the tools for the public policy established in § 144g-1 of this title on harassment and bullying among students or the school personnel.
The social workers and school counselors shall likewise be responsible for orienting students on the problem of harassment and bullying and shall provide counseling to victims of the conduct as well as to the bullies.
History —July 15, 1999, No, 149, added as § 3.08d on Apr. 29, 2008, No. 49, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144g-5 - School environment—Annual remittance of incident report to the Legislature

The Secretary shall remit an annual report to the Legislature on incidents involving harassment or bullying, if any, within the public education system and the actions taken with respect to the same not later than July 1 of each year.
History —July 15, 1999, No, 149, added as § 3.08e on Apr. 29, 2008, No. 49, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144h - Students records

The Secretary shall establish by regulations, the rules corresponding to the maintenance and custody of the records of the academic history and student life of the students of the system. These documents shall be confidential, and only the student, the father, mother, or legal guardian of the student, the officials authorized by the Secretary, and persons authorized by court order, shall have access to them.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.08, renumbered as § 3.09 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144i - Disciplinary measures

Students shall observe the standards of behavior that are promulgated to ensure the orderly performance of the school. The violation of these standards will bring about the imposition of sanctions that will vary from a slight admonishment, to expelling the student. The sanction of suspension and expelling the student shall not be imposed without undergoing due process of law, except in those cases indicated in § 144j of this title. Corporal punishment is forbidden.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.09, renumbered as § 3.10 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144j - Urgent disciplinary measures

The directors may summarily suspend students from classes who have been charged with a major Class II or III offense under §§ 2201 et seq. of Title 34, known as the “Puerto Rico Minors’ Act”. They may also do it when there are facts that justify prosecuting the student as an adult before a court, or when the director has grounds to believe that the presence of the student in the classroom is a threat to the security of the school community.
Before putting any decision into effect under this section, the directors shall proceed to consult the Secretary through the expeditious means provided [to] him/her by regulations. No summary suspension shall be extended for more than five (5) school days; the disciplinary hearing on the charges must be held within this term. Rules shall be established to safeguard the confidentiality of the procedure as required by §§ 2201 et seq. of Title 34, the Puerto Rico Minors’ Act.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.10, renumbered as § 3.11 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144k - Students removed from home of parents, tutors, foster home

Directors shall make the necessary arrangements to transfer students under the custody of the Department of the Family to the pertinent school without delay. Under no circumstance may directors refuse to admit these minors into their schools.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.11, renumbered as § 3.12 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144l - Return of books, computers, and other school material or equipment

Parents, tutors or custodians of students shall be responsible for the good condition and return by their children to the school, any books, materials, equipment or computers loaned for them to study upon conclusion of the school year or at the moment the school demands their return. Upon failure to return said supplies, the Secretary shall require that the parents, tutors or custodians of the student present payment, compensation or redress for expenses reasonably incurred by the Department to repair, restore or replace said supplies pursuant to procedures established by law and regulations in effect and the obligation contracted by the former by signing the pertinent document at the beginning of the school year.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.12, renumbered as § 3.13 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter III - The Students (§§ 144a — 144m) › § 144m - Bearing of arms

Any student introducing, distributing, giving, selling or bearing any kind of firearm at school or within school surroundings, shall be suspended by the Secretary for a period not under one year considering the circumstances in each separate case and pursuant to the procedure established by regulation. For the purposes of this section, “any kind of [fire]arm” includes all weapons banned under §§ 455—460j of Title 25, as amended, known as the “Puerto Rico Weapons Law”, or any other succeeding law, and U.S. Public Law No. 90-351 of June 19, 1968, as amended, 82 Stat. 226. “School surroundings” are understood to be a one-hundred (100) radial meter distance from school grounds as these are delimited by a fence or any other boundary marking.
The Department shall provide, in coordination with the agencies concerned, alternate education services to the student for the term of his/her suspension, and upon conclusion thereof, shall place the student at the corresponding grade and level.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 3.13, renumbered as § 3.14 on Aug. 10, 2000, No. 146, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144n - Function

Teachers are the key resource of the educational process. Their primary function is to help students discover and hone their capabilities and learn attitudes and ways to conduct themselves which will allow them to function properly as members of the community.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.01.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144o - Teaching autonomy

The Secretary, the school directors and the school councils shall validate the teaching autonomy of teachers, which shall include the freedom to:
(a) Make the changes they deem pertinent in order to adapt the topics of the course to the socio-cultural and geographical profile of their students.
(b) Adopt the teaching method that to their professional judgment will better arouse the interest and curiosity of their students about the topics being studied.
(c) Give personalized attention to disabled students, as well as to outstanding achievers and students with special skills.
(d) Organize students into groups for special studies or projects related with their courses.
The teaching autonomy of teachers shall always be exercised in reference to topics comprised within the courses they teach, and not to topics or subjects incidental thereto. Regulations shall recognize the authority of teachers to maintain order in their classrooms.
The teaching autonomy recognized herein shall not relieve teachers from covering their courses as these are established in the master curriculum of the education system.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.02.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144p - Incentives for excellence

The Secretary shall establish through regulations an incentive system so as to retain the most qualified teachers with the highest performance in the classrooms. These incentives may be awards, special acknowledgments, sabbatical leave, cultural travel, bonuses and other distinctions bestowed to highlight the value of teachers and the teaching endeavors.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.03.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144q - Education of teachers

The Secretary shall take the measures with the universities established in Puerto Rico so that they conform the courses they provide to the needs of the public education system in that which concerns:
(a) The training of teachers in technical areas of their profession as well as in the disciplines of their specialized field.
(b) Proper management of the most advanced teaching technology.
(c) Training of school administration staff.
(d) Training of professional staff involved in teaching-supportive tasks.
(e) The establishment of continuing education and training programs for teachers.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.04.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144r - Teaching candidates—Exams

Candidates to hold any position established under §§ 260 et seq. of Title 18, regarding teacher certification, and the regulations adopted thereunder, shall pass an examination to qualify to be teachers. The Secretary shall promulgate the standards to govern the preparation and proctoring of these examinations. The scores obtained therein shall be taken into account in assigning turns in the eligible candidate roster.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.05.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144s - Admission into the teaching profession

Schools shall establish teaching admission programs for new teachers or for teachers who have not practiced the profession for three (3) years preceding their appointment. The Secretary shall establish the standards concerning the operation of these programs.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.06.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144t - Appointment of teachers to administrative office

The Secretary may appoint teachers to administrative office when in conformance to §§ 260 et seq. of Title 18, regarding teacher certification, §§ 214 et seq. of Title 18, regarding teacher tenure, and the regulations adopted by virtue of these acts. Teachers thus appointed shall be subject to evaluations as directed by the regulations promulgated by the Secretary.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.07.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144u - Continuing education

The Secretary shall establish continuing education programs for the teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Department.
In the case of all members of the School Councils, who are appointed after the approval of this act, it shall be a prior requirement to have taken and [passed] a course on public financial operations to be designed and administered by the Office of the Comptroller of Puerto Rico. Provided, That the Office of the Comptroller and the Secretary shall establish the necessary administrative norms to comply with said requirement and, in addition, shall offer said course to the present members of the School Councils. The course prepared by the Comptroller of Puerto Rico shall be offered in the most effective and efficient manner possible according to what the Secretary of Education and the Office of the Comptroller agree. Among other alternatives to be considered, without their being understood as a limitation, the course may be offered in the teaching institution in coordination with the School Director or in groups by the municipality, in coordination with the Superintendent of Schools.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.08; Apr. 12, 2006, No. 77, § 1; Feb. 8, 2007, No. 7, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144v - Evaluation of teachers

At the beginning of the school year, school directors, with the advice of school councils, shall organize evaluation committees constituted in part by teachers with tenure and vast experience. The committees shall evaluate the work of their school teaching personnel pursuant to the procedures, guidelines and objective criteria set forth by [the] Secretary, and they shall present recommendations to school directors and councils concerning professional training or continuing education programs, for the betterment of teachers in their schools.
Committee evaluations shall also be used for purposes of awarding tenure to teachers, promotions in teacher ranking, and bestow awards and acknowledgments to outstanding teachers.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.09.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144w - Teacher participation in school procedures

Teachers shall participate in directing their schools through school councils and faculty meetings, or through other bodies as created to fulfill the purposes of §§ 143a—146f of this title.
The Secretary, the directors and the school councils shall articulate the standards to systematize and encourage the active involvement of teachers in the fulfillment of the school’s educational endeavor.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.10.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144x - Volunteer citizens

School directors shall keep, with the approval of school councils, a register of volunteer citizens willing to render non-teaching services in schools, as well as to exercise teaching functions during extended hours or as substitutes when teachers are absent.
Volunteers shall meet certain education and experience requirements in order to exercise the functions delegated [to] them; they shall not receive compensation for their work, except for the per diem that the Secretary may grant them in consideration of their labor.
In exercising their functions, volunteers shall be covered by State Insurance Fund health and hospitalization plans and protected under §§ 3077 et seq. of Title 32, regarding claims and actions against the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.11.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144y - Exemption from attachment and execution

The portion of teaching personnel salaries of the Puerto Rico Public Education System corresponding to the basic salary paid when admitted into the teaching profession, shall be exempt from attachment and execution.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.12.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 144z - Disciplinary sanctions

The Secretary may impose disciplinary sanctions on members of the teaching profession who infringe the laws or the regulations governing the Puerto Rico Public Education System. Sanctions may range from reprimands for slight infractions to destitution and cancellation of certificate for grave or severe infractions. The Secretary may not impose disciplinary sanctions on teaching or non-teaching personnel without due process of law.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.13.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 145 - Right to participate in political activities

Members of the teaching personnel of the Public Education System shall have the right to:
(a) Be a part of the directive bodies of political parties and organizations.
(b) Participate in political campaigns and activities.
(c) Appear as candidates to elective office or to confidential office by appointment.
(d) Promote candidacies in any electoral process.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.14.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 145a - Activities prohibited in schools and Department facilities

All Department officials and employees, regardless of their office or classification and the kind of appointment they may hold, shall abstain from conducting the following acts within schools and within facilities and grounds under the jurisdiction of the Department during their respective working hours or the working hours of the Public Education System:
(a) Exhibiting political party or organization insignias, logos or emblems.
(b) Forming groups or organizing activities to support or reject political parties or organizations, or candidates or persons participating in an electoral process.
(c) Distributing and diffusing propaganda related with a political process or an electoral contest.
Infringement of the provisions of this section shall be deemed to be professional misconduct and constitute enough cause for the corresponding disciplinary actions as provided by §§ 143a—146f of this title or §§ 274 et seq. of Title 18, or any other applicable laws or regulations.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.15.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 145b - Special leave for candidates

Members of the Public Education System teaching personnel shall be released from their obligations when nominated by a political party as candidates to the office of Governor, Resident Commissioner, Senator, House Representative or Mayor, if certified by the Commonwealth Elections Commission.
Relief from duty shall be effective on August 1st of the election year and shall be extended to the Monday that follows the day set for general election. During said period, the teacher thus relieved from duty shall enjoy a special leave with pay, which shall not be chargeable to days accrued by the teacher in any other leave. After the election, teachers enjoying the special leave shall be entitled to ask for leave without pay for the rest of the semester.
Should the teachers on special leave not be elected to the office to which they were nominated, they may return to their posts with the same rights and prerogatives they had at the time they were relieved from duty. Should their posts be occupied or another post of like category not be available in their municipality, the Secretary shall extend the special leave with pay until the beginning of the second school semester.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to confidential teaching personnel or to Department officials or employees exercising non-teaching functions.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.16.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter IV - Teachers (§§ 144n — 145c) › § 145c - Labor unions

The participation of teachers in labor unions shall be governed by the agreements reached in collective bargaining under §§ 1451 et seq. of this title, known as “Puerto Rico Public Service Labor Relation Act,” and its regulations.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 4.17.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter V - The Public Education System (§§ 145d — 145q) › § 145d - Composition

Schools shall be a conglomerate of autonomous units articulated under public policy and common purpose principles. These shall be part of the Puerto Rico Public Education System-this being its main constituent-together with the Secretary of Education, the education facilitator regional and district offices, and the dependencies of the Department providing school lunchroom and printing services, or other supportive services to the system.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 5.01.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 9A - Department of Education (1999) › Subchapter V - The Public Education System (§§ 145d — 145q) › § 145e - Secretary—How functions are to be exercised

The Secretary shall steer the educational efforts of the System by regulatory standards, public policy and planning directives, auditing, scrutiny, and evaluation of the scholastic and administrative process of the schools. The Secretary shall exercise the executive powers germane to his/her office in the cases foreseen in §§ 143a—146f of this title or when he/she believes it to be necessary to safeguard the harmony and the interests of the Puerto Rico Public Education System.
History —July 15, 1999, No. 149, § 5.02.