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How are the public schools in the Guaynabo area as compared to private education in that area as well? Also, are there other areas where public schools in Puerto Rico are doing better than other areas? Is anyone familiar with the School of San Juan in Rio Piedras. I hear that one is offering a public bilingual education and is one of the first, if not the first.
There was a time in Puerto Rico, as there was in the United States, when public schools were great. Now-a-days sending your kids to public schools in Puerto Rico, and the United States, is like experimenting with your children. Private schools are possibly your best bet but like everything, there are good private schools and awful private schools. Most private schools advertise that they teach in English but not all is true.
Sad but true the best schools are those sponsored by the rich, like in the USA. They have the best facilities and services, like Stella Maris in Cupey where the politicians send their kids. Some Catholic schools are very good, others aren't. All of this is a gamble, but if you do your research you'll come up with a good school, but will also have to pay for it! There are very few free ride schools left.
Public good schools ( All are very difficutl to get in)
- Central High School ( specialized in arts)
- university Garden high school ( specialized in Sciences and Math)
- University High school / UHS ( part of the university of Puerto Rico)
- School of San Juan (Bilingual)
Many good Private school in guaynabo. (tuition, books and fees) from $5,000 to $10,000 and others outside the avg in the $18,000+
Public schools in general are a nightmare here. The only good ones are University High School, Central High School, University Gardens HS(like the previous poster said) and he missed CROEM, but that's a public boarding school in Mayaguez. None of the previously mentioned schools are in Guaynabo.
The top tier private high schools in the metro area are:
San Ignacio(all boys)
San Jose de Ni~os(all boys)
Academia Perpetuo Socorro
Marista
San Jose de Ni~as(all girls)
Maria Reina (all girls)
Saint John's (primarily english)
Baldwin (primarily english)
Colegio Puertorrique~o de Ni~as(all girls)
I might be forgetting a few, but generally if I didn't mention it it's just not in that tier. All the previously mentioned schools range from slightly expensive to very expensive. such is life...
There are some cheaper alternatives... (Cupeyville comes to mind) but you'd be well served to ask several people before deciding on one of those. Most of the schools I mentioned are outside Guaynabo, but the majority of the students in those schools live in Guaynabo.
Why are public schools so bad in Puerto Rico? Is it the funding? Teacher pay? Do the kids just simply not want to learn?
We have alot of excellent & highly regarded K-12 public school districts on the mainland.
Public school education on the island has suffered from the same problems as in the United States. American public education, in general, is among the lowest among the industrialized nations. Puerto Rico being a territory of the United States would obviously get some of the fall out.
We live in a "you can't tell me what to do" world, where parents back their kids 100% because they can do no wrong. Kids are constantly on their cell phones and I phones, possibly discussing the newest dance craze or fashions. Gone are the days when kids were required to Read Don Quixote in 12 grade Spanish classes, discussing La Comay or the newest action flix is more like it now-a-days. LOL The news is full of fluff, entertainment and gossip of the stars, which mascarades as knowledge. Check out local PR and US papers. This seeps down to households, teachers and politics. It's a social atmosphere of demeaning education as we once knew it and an over emphasis on entertainment and getting by with the least amount of school work.
Why are public schools so bad in Puerto Rico? Is it the funding? Teacher pay? Do the kids just simply not want to learn?
We have alot of excellent & highly regarded K-12 public school districts on the mainland.
It's primarily a demographics issue. The island is tiny and the school districts in the metro cover very densely populated areas. That means that virtually every public school will be accessible by either a public housing unit or a very poor neighborhood. Middle/upper class families see this as a threat to their kids(sadly, in most cases, with very good reason) so they choose to burn some of their disposable income in order to ensure that their children end up getting a good education with kids of their own social class.
Unfortunately, most kids that come from a poor background get very little mentoring/help outside of school. That leads to poor quality of the student body and teachers that couldn't really care any less. This creates a situation where the only good public schools here are the ones that are selective about who they admit.
The CONUS has some excellent K-12 districts, however, that depends a whole lot on where you happen to live. In some of the densely populated areas if you don't have your kids in a selective public school you probably want to send them to a private school if you can afford it.
The answer is complicated. But here some curious facts. In the island. Applies same fed education law, Idea, no child behind etc.... The education department is so " complicated" that the average cost per student in the public system is $8,500 and this is equal or higher than the cost of the top private school mention above
In specific with $8-9k you can pay.
Marista
Perpetuo
Academia San jose ninas
Above the $9k will be
San ignacio
St johns
And out of range and most expensive will be Baldwin
An English school and the most affordable in Guaynabo will be Menonita , but campus and facilities are not comparable to Baldwin, Marista, Maria Reina or San ignacio
Not sure you are considering Bayamon
The followings are more affordable than Guaynabo and San Juan options
American school. English at same level than top school mentioned before ( others factor are not at same level, facilities, activities, tradition, etc....)
Puerto Rico Christian school. English at same level than top school mentioned before ( others factor are not at same level, facilities, activities, tradition, etc....)
The best option in Bayamon (in general, not in English) will be De La Salle. Catholic traditional school and very intensive in all classes except the English class Total cost will be about $3,000 for the year. De La salle is a worldwide recognized institution Do not expect state of the art or updated classroom for $200-225 per month. Admission is difficult
Back to education department. The moneys goes to short term solution
Outsources therapies (language and ocupational)
Outsources transportation mostly traveling the kids to the out of school therapies
Outsource remedial student support service
Legal fees, state fights with parents in school. Specially for special ed service
Why are public schools so bad in Puerto Rico? Is it the funding? Teacher pay? Do the kids just simply not want to learn?
We have alot of excellent & highly regarded K-12 public school districts on the mainland.
I'm in public school and it's horrible. Bad education, poorly educated students and it's just a bad experience in general.
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