Secretary of Education of Puerto Rico

Secretary of Education of Puerto Rico
Official Logo of the Department
Incumbent
Yanira Raíces Vega
since July 10, 2023; 17 months ago (2023-07-10)
Department of Education
NominatorGovernor
AppointerGovernor
with advice and consent from the Senate
Term length4 years
FormationEstablished by Article IV of the Constitution of Puerto Rico
SuccessionFourth
Salary$80,000 USD[1]
Websitewww.de.gobierno.pr
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The secretary of education of Puerto Rico is responsible for the development and management of all educational matters in the government of Puerto Rico and heads the Department of Education.[2]

There have been three types of secretaries in the history of Puerto Rico. The first were the education commissioners established in 1899 after Puerto Rico was succeeded to the United States from Spain. The second were the secretaries of public instruction after the predecessor of the Department of Education —the Department of Public Instruction— was formally established by law. Today Puerto Rico has secretaries of education after the Department of Public Instruction was reorganized and renamed as the Department of Education.[3]

List of former and current secretaries

Education commissioners

# Portrait Name Term start Term end Political party Appointed by
1 Martin G. Brumbaugh 1900 1902 Republican William McKinley
2 Samuel McCune Lindsay 1902 1904 Republican Theodore Roosevelt
3 Ronald R. Falkner 1904 1907 Republican Theodore Roosevelt
4 Edwin G. Dexter 1907 1912 Republican William Howard Taft
5 Edward M. Bainter 1912 1915 Democrat Woodrow Wilson
6 Paul G. Miller 1915 1921 Democrat Woodrow Wilson
7 Juan B. Huyke 1921 1929 Republican Warren G. Harding
8 José Padín 1930 1936 Republican Herbert Hoover
9 H. A. Martin 1937 1937 Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt
10 José M. Gallardo 1937 1945 Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt
11 Mariano Villaronga Toro 1946 1947 Democrat Harry S. Truman
12 Francisco Collazo 1947 1948 Democrat Harry S. Truman

Secretaries of public instruction

  PPD    PNP
# Portrait Name Term start Term end Political party Appointed by Affiliation
1 Mariano Villaronga Toro 1949 1957 PPD Luis Muñoz Marín Democrat
2 Efraín Sánchez Hidalgo 1957 1960 PPD Luis Muñoz Marín Democrat
3 Cándido Oliveras 1960 1964 PPD Luis Muñoz Marín Democrat
4 Ángel Quintero Alfaro 1965 1968 PPD Roberto Sanchez Vilella Democrat
5 Ramón Mellado Parsons 1969 1971 PNP Luis A. Ferre Republican
6 Tania Viera 1972 1972 PNP Luis A. Ferre Republican
7 Celeste Benítez 1973 1973 PPD Rafael Hernandez Colon Democrat
8 Ramón A. Cruz Aponte 1973 1976 PPD Rafael Hernandez Colon Democrat
9 Herman Sulsona 1977 1977 PNP Carlos Romero Barcelo Democrat
10 Carlos A. Chardón 1977 1980 PNP Carlos Romero Barcelo Democrat
11 María Socorro Lacott 1980 1984 PNP Carlos Romero Barcelo Democrat
12 Awilda Aponte Roque 1985 1988 PPD Rafael Hernandez Colon Democrat
13 Rafael Cartagena 1989 1989 PPD Rafael Hernandez Colon Democrat

Secretaries of education

  PDP      NPP

# Portrait Name Term start Term end Political party
1 José Lema Moya 1989 1991 PDP
2 Celeste Benítez Rivera 1991 1992 PDP
3 Annabelle Padilla Rodríguez 1993 1993 NPP
4 José Arsenio Torres 1993 1994 NPP
5 Víctor Fajardo 1994 2000 NPP
6 César Rey Hernández 2001 2004 PDP
7 Rafael Aragunde Torres 2005 2008 PDP
8 Carlos A. Chardón 2009 2009 NPP
9 Odette Piñeiro Caballero 2009 2010 NPP
10 Jesús Rivera Sánchez 2010 2011 NPP
11 Edward Moreno 2011 2012 NPP
12 Rafael Román Meléndez 2013 2017 PDP
13 Julia Keleher 2017 2019 NPP
14 Eligio Hernandez Perez 2019 2020 NPP
15 Elba Aponte Santos 2021 2021 NPP
16 Magaly Rivera Rivera 2021 2021 NPP
17 Eliezer Ramos Parés 2021 2023 NPP
18 Yanira Raíces Vega 2023 present NPP

References

  1. ^ "Sueldos - Funcionarios de Gobierno" (PDF). Pr.gov. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  2. ^ "Oficina del Secretario de Educación | Departamento de Educación de Puerto Rico". De.gobierno.pr. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  3. ^ Juan Torres. "Comisionados de Educación, Secretarios de Instrucción Pública Y Secretarios de Educación de Puerto Rico". Puertadetierra.info. Retrieved 2013-08-17.