Puerto Rico Department of Education Snapshot
Puerto Rico's Department of Education is working on bringing its grades up. The department is responsible for ensuring the quality and availability of the US commonwealth's educational system -- from pre-school though college for the island's residents. The department distributes state and federal funds, sets the curriculum, and regulates the professional certification of teachers. It oversees more than 40,000 teachers who educate more than a half a million students. There are more than 1,500 schools in Puerto Rico. The department has struggled to meet federal standards in order to receive funding. It also has been hampered by scandals and mismanagement.