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PUERTO RICO
Compulsory Attendance Ages: “between six and eighteen years of age” 3 Laws of
Puerto Rico Annotated § 391(a).
Required Days of Instruction: same as public schools.
Required Subjects: same as public schools.
Home School Statute: None.
Alternative Statutes Allowing Home Schools:
1. “Instruction in the elementary and secondary school shall be free and shall
be compulsory in the elementary schools to the extent permitted by the
facilities of the state. Compulsory attendance at elementary public schools ...
shall not be construed as applicable to those who receive elementary education
in schools established under non-governmental auspices.” Puerto Rico
Constitution Art. II, § 5.
2. “Attendance at public schools shall not be compulsory for those who are
receiving education in schools established under the auspices of
non-governmental entities.” 18 L.P.R.A. § 2.
3. Most home schools operate as “non-governmental schools.” Non-governmental
schools are not clearly defined or regulated by law. Only a “primary or
secondary academic” school which “...declares, promises, announces, or expresses
the intention of granting certificates, diplomas, degrees, or licenses” is
required to be licensed (18 L.P.R.A. § 2101-2103). It seems that only these
private “diploma” schools are under Puerto Rico’s private school regulations.
Non-governmental schools, which are recognized in the Puerto Rican Constitution,
have no such regulations. Therefore, many home schools or groups of home schools
have established “non-government schools” which do not grant diplomas. Instead,
such schools issue transcripts demonstrating completed work.
Teacher Qualifications: None required for non-governmental schools.
Standardized Tests: Not required for non-governmental schools.
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