Education

Puerto Rico follows the same Federal Education Guidelines as in the States. The primary language used in Public Schools is Spanish, and English is taught as a second language. There are public schools with bilingual education programs. Also, some Private Schools have English curricula for non-Spanish speaking students.

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Puerto Rico Community Schools in Fort Buchanan and Ramey Coast Guard base, use English in all their programs and are part of DoDEA Mid-Atlantic District.

The DoDEA Mid-Atlantic Puerto Rico consists of four schools located on two military installations on the island. DoDEA PR has an enrollment of approximately 1,750 students. There are three (3) schools in Fort Buchanan; an elementary school for students in grades PreK - 5th grade; a middle school for students in grades 6th - 8th; and a high school for students 9th -12th. Ramey Coast Guard Base (Northwest Coast of the island) houses a school for students in grades PreK - 12th.

DoDEA-PR provides a full breakfast and lunch program in addition to transportation services for students; provides several after-school sports teams and clubs to round its student's education and interests; and also provides services for our identified accelerated students, students with disabilities, and those students that are identified as English language learners.

Online Student Registration System:

DoDEA uses the online DoDEA Student Information System (DSIS) for all new and returning student registrations which can be accessed at the following link: https://dodeasis.myfollett.com/aspen/logon.do.

For parent guidance about the system and registration process, please visit: https://www.dodea.edu/registration

Entrance Requirements by Age:

• Sure Start and Pre-Kindergarten Programs, a child must be 4 years of age by September 1.
• Kindergarten Programs, a child must be 5 years of age by September 1.
• First Grade, a child must be 6 years of age by September 1.

School Bus:

• Transportation is provided to and from centrally located bus stops in the area of a student's primary residence.
• School bus services is provided to students residing beyond the defined walking distance.

Walking Distance for Students: Kindergarten through grade 6th, not to exceed 1 mile and Grades 7th through 12th, not to exceed 1.5 miles.

• Elapsed travel time from the farthest point in a route should not exceed one hour.
• The school commuting area is a specific geographic area designated to determine eligibility for transportation of students. This area is identified in the installation's Housing Referral Office.
• Parents deciding to live beyond the designated commuting area are responsible for transporting their children to an existing school bus stop.
• A community or urbanization within the commuting area lacking safe access may be excluded from the commuting area.
• The transportation division is responsible for discipline and safety of students on the bus and for assessing the safety of routes, loading zones, and bus stops.
• Transportation services will be based upon a thorough analysis and periodic review of student demand. The transportation division is charged with the responsibility for developing routes and schedules to optimize equipment use and seating capacity, as well as reduce total mileage and driving time. Students shall be transported at the lowest practical cost.

For more information or assistance on enrollment, contact the registrar for the desired school:

AES: 787 707-2371

AMS: 787 707-2406

AHS: 787 707-2140

DoDEA Grading System - The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) uses a standardized grading system to ensure consistency for all students. The system is designed to provide clear feedback on student progress and varies by grade level.

Grade PK: Development and Learning Report - For PK, teachers will complete the Development and Learning Report for each student. This report explains children’s progress along the developmental continua.

Grades K through 3: Progress-Based Reporting - For our youngest learners, DoDEA uses achievement codes instead of traditional letter grades to show progress toward meeting grade-level standards.

Code and Description
E - Exceeds grade-level expectations
M - Meets grade-level expectations
S - Steady progress towards grade-level expectations
L - Limited progress towards grade-level expectations

Grades 4 through 12: Traditional Letter Grades

Academic progress and achievement in grades 4th - 12th are graded according to the following scale:

• Advance placement courses are weighted by regulation.
• Academic grades are based on student achievement, not citizenship.
• A grade of F cannot be weighted more than any other grade and cannot be scored lower than 50.
• Student's performance reporting is accomplished through the electronic grading system.

Students in grades 4 and above receive traditional letter grades based on the following scale:

Grade and Percentage
A - 90-100%
B - 80-89%
C - 70-79%
D - 60-69%
F - 59% and below

Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation

For students in grades 4-12, GPA is calculated on a 4.0 scale (A=4, B=3, etc.).

Approved advanced high school courses, such as AP Human Geography+, are weighted on a 5.0 scale when the student sits for the AP exam for the course.
Local Schools information: https://www.dodea.edu/americas/mid-atlantic/puerto-rico

Home Schooling information: https://www.dodea.edu/offices/office-dodea-policy/regulation/home-school-students-change-1

The metropolitan area is home to more than 100 private schools, the majority of which are religious in nature. Programs including Pre-K, Kinder, Elementary through Middle, and High Schools are available in both English and Spanish. Most textbooks are written in English and adhere to the same curricula as those in the United States. Tuition fees vary depending on grade level. Most private schools begin their program year in early August and end in the middle of May. There are also professional and technical schools among them. Most of them offer special education as well.

A copy of the DoDEA Policy Memorandum on Home Schooling is located on the DoDEA website.

The DoDEA Administrative Instruction 1375.01 for Home-School Students was updated (change 1), on October 15, 2018; and allow eligible dependent students who are educated in a homeschool setting to use or receive auxiliary services of the DoDEA schools in which they are eligible to enroll. This extends the opportunity to dependent students who are educated in a homeschool setting but are eligible to enroll in a DoDEA Americas school.