Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Puerto Rico to Pilot New Student-Centered Funding System

  • 07/02/18

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today announced that the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE) will be the first to pilot new flexibility under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to create a student-centered funding system. The model is designed to equitably allocate local, state and federal resources based on student needs.

"Puerto Rico's use of a student-centered funding system will help to ensure those with the greatest need receive the most support" said Secretary DeVos. "Amid the hardships and challenges following Hurricane Maria, I am pleased to see Puerto Rico rethinking school and putting students' needs above all else."

Added Puerto Rico Secretary of Education Julia Keleher, "Puerto Rico's ability to provide a quality education for its youth depends on how we fund K-12 education and the way funds are allocated. This pilot allows us to take a more scientific approach and track the relationship between strategic investments and future learning gains. We are committed to implementing effective solutions that benefit our students and ensure accountability to our families."

ESSA provides for 50 school districts to pilot a new student-centered funding system that combines local, state and federal dollars. This innovative approach allows maximal resources to be allocated to schools based on quantifiable student need, directing the most resources to support students who need them most. The result is a more equitable, predictable and transparent method of allocating resources that puts students first.

ESSA specifically requires that pilot districts allocate substantially more funding to support students from low-income families, English learners, and any other educationally disadvantaged group as chosen by the school district. Puerto Rico designed its system to allocate additional funds to support students from low-income families, language learners and students in rural schools.

To learn more, visit: www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/scfp/studentcentered.html.

Featured

  • Abstract tech network data connections with orange, blue glowing dots, lines

    3 Trends for Higher Education to Stay Ahead of in 2026

    As universities enter the new year, the question is no longer whether digital transformation is necessary, but how quickly institutions can convert technological potential into strategic advantage.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • Photo credit - Chuck Coates

    Florida District Modernizes Central Energy Plants at Two High Schools

    Flagler Schools, a public school district in Flagler County, Fla., recently partnered with Matern Professional Engineering to modernize the central energy plants at two of its high schools, according to a news release. The project is part of a larger, district-wide effort to reduce energy costs and operational expenses.