The eight educational districts serving the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, have been joined together to propose a self-study on the status of K-12 science and mathematics, and technology education (SMTE) for the purposes of designing a plan for the systemic reform of SMTE in the San Juan schools. San Juan has a total population of 84,963 children between the ages o 5-17, of which 50,404 or 59% live in poverty according to the U. S. Census. The eight educational districts in San Juan (San Juan I-II and Rio Piedras I-IV) serve a student population of over 45,000 in over 127 schools. These districts are part of the Puerto Rico Department of Education which is the central educational agency on the island comprising 100 districts with eight educational regions. Over 1,150 teachers are providing instruction in science or mathematics in the eight San Juan districts. The Planning grant will support the establishment of an ongoing system to monitor the quality of the city's science and mathematics program and the articulation of a coherent and comprehensive plan to transform science and mathematics to higher level learning opportunities for all students. The effort will be carried out in collaboration with the central level programs of Science and Mathematics of the Department of Education, the Resource Center for Science and Engineering (RCSE) at the University of Puerto Rico, the city of San Juan, community organizations and the private sector. The Puerto Rico Statewide Systemic Initiative program will play a major collaborative role in supporting the planing activities.
