Puerto Rico Language Policy Timeline

Spanish American War

Aug 12, 1898

Spain is defeated by the United States of America. Puerto Rico becomes a territory (possession) of the American Nation.

1898-1900 Period

Dec 31, 1900

John Eaton, Commissioner of Education, and assistant Victor Clark established that educators had to learn English in order to have a better chance of being hired.

Official Language Act

Oct 31, 1902

English & Spanish became official languages.

1900-1902 Period

Dec 31, 1902

• The Department of Public Instruction is created.
• Commissioner Brumbagh, assigned by President McKinley, established that at elementary level Spanish would be the method of instruction & English would be taught as a special subject. The opposite would apply to secondary level.

Revocation of Official Language Act

Dec 31, 1903

President Theodore Roosevelt pushed the Commissioner of Education to make English the method of instruction for all grades.

1902-04 Period

Dec 31, 1904

• Teachers are sent to study to the U.S.A.
• There is legislation for the Insular School to become the UPR.
• Establishment of an annual English test for Puerto Rican teachers and the classification system to select them (favoring those who acquired English).

Nationalism versus Imperialism

Oct 24, 1910

Education commissioner Grant Dexter, informs 35,000 students will benefit from English speakers teachers that had passed the exam. A separatist movement was born since some teachers considered English acquisition as an imposition as well as a threat to the island's identity.

1905-13: Spanish Language Suppression

Oct 24, 1913

• English became the method of instruction in all grades.
• Creation of a law that forced Island's teachers to take an annual English exam. Those who failed were suspended until passing it. After two years, teaching license was revoked.
• American professors taught English to teachers in Puerto Rico, who would earn a $10 monthly salary raise if once English qualified.
• Techaer must demonstrated knowledge in Math, Geography, History, and English in a special test.

More Language Shifting...

Oct 24, 1913

All classes were taught in English, but the Spanish subject. Hygiene, Health, & Reading were offered in Spanish as well.

Additional Carts on the Language Policy Rollercoaster

Oct 24, 1915

The Law established Spanish instruction a must as well as its use for judicial processes.

WWI & U.S. Citizenship Granted to Puerto Rico

Oct 24, 1917

• Jose De Diego defense of Spanish instruction opposed Commissioner Miller's, who defended English instruction.
• Incidents and frictions among population caused Miller to go back to the U.S.

1920-30 Period & Recession in the Island

Oct 24, 1930

DPI Commissioner, Juan B. Huyke ordered: English only even outside class, including all publications.

1916-34 Period

Oct 24, 1934

Spanish instruction: K - 4th.
English used for half of the subjects' instruction from 5th. - 12th.

President Franklin Roosevelt

Oct 24, 1934

Governor Blanton Swinthrop made English the method of instruction in all grades.

Commissioner versus United States President

Oct 24, 1936

• Commissioner Jose M. Gallardo wanted but couldn't create a bilingual program due to protestors in the Island. *U.S.A. President wanted English instruction only.

1930-36 Period

Oct 24, 1936

• Jose Padin became the Education Commisioner and implemented Sppanish instruction from 1st. - 8th. grade. English is taught as a second language through special programs, becoming a subject starting at 1st. grade.
• Bilingual education was recommended with constant supervision.

English Instruction only at secondary level.

Oct 24, 1941

Only at secondary level

Spanish instruction, English a subject up to 6th. Grade

Oct 24, 1942

Spanish instruction: all grades, English: a period/day as 2nd. language

Oct 24, 1948

First Elected Governor of Puerto Rico: Luis Munoz Marin

Oct 24, 1949

His Commissioner, Mariano Villaronga, ordered Spanish instruction at all levels.

Bilingual Education Act (BEA)

Oct 24, 1968

Signed under President Johnson, Title VII was an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) recognizing the needs of Limited English Speaking Ability (LESA) people.

Islanders Rejection to Bilingual Education considering it an Imperialism Imposition

Oct 24, 1970

• American funds are designated to P.R. to help meet the needs os students that migrated back and forth from the Island to the U.S. and viceversa since they showed no Spanish domain.
• Bilingual education: teaching Spanish and maintaining English
• Legislation was created towards: " The Elementary & Secondary Education Act", "The Vocational Education Act", "The Adult Education Act ", The Higher Education Act ".

Lau vs. Nichols

Oct 25, 1974

Case that emphasized the importance of bilingual education in the United States impacted Puerto Rico, being an American territory.

1972-76 Period Bilingual Programs Flourished

Oct 24, 1976

• Bilingual projects are implemented in Padre Rufo & Papa Juan XXIII schools.
• The following were established: "The Bilingual Cultural Project" , " Pre-School Projects", " Bilingual & Cultural Transition Project", " The Bilingual Program", " Plan Estatal" which was aiming to meet the needs of 59,810 migrants.
• The Bilingual Education Programs become part of the Department of Public Instruction.
• Law of Bilingual Education Certification is signed.

U.S. authorizes Bilingual Education projects focusing Spanish learning of migrants

Oct 25, 1978

1970-80: Neoricans in the house...

Oct 25, 1980

The Department of Public Instruction trained Puerto Ricans who lived in New York to teach so they could teach English in the Island.

Statistics

Oct 25, 1980

Out of the 716,138 student population, 84,834 were migrants of which 58,810 had special needs to be met.

The Bilingual Education Project is transferred to the English Deparment

Oct 25, 1984

Spanish only legislation (Law #4)

Apr 5, 1991

1991 law was revoked and 1902's reinstated

Apr 24, 1992

English as well as Spanish could be used, including business deals

1988-92: Bilingual Education Projects Branching Out

Oct 24, 1992

• Bilingual education projects were granted to " Universidad Metropolitana" , "Universidad Sagrado Corazon", " UniversidadTurabo", through the Deparment of Education.

Education Bilingual Project is given autonomy

Oct 24, 1993

• Law #1 of 1991 is revoked: English & Spanish become the official languages
• The first director of the Bilingual Education Program is appointed.

Only two years left before accountability begins...

Oct 24, 2012

Bilingual Projects (BEC21 for elementary level & ES21 for Secondary one) are being implemented throughout the school system in order to meet everything contained in the federal law.