Puerto Rico Language Timeline

Language Issue

Jul 25, 1898

Language became an issue in Puerto Rico following the island's conquest by the United States. John Eaton, Ex,commissioner of Education of the US establishes that teachers of Puerto Rico had to learn English

Law

Oct 25, 1900

1900-1904Language Law came into effect stating that both languages Spanish and English shall be official languages.
Department of Public Instruction is created. Commissioner Martin G. Brumbaugh- Spanish was the language of instruction up to 6th grade. English was the medium of instruction from grades 7th -12th.

Roland P. Falkner

Jan 1, 1904

1904-1907Commissioner Roland P. Falkner- English became the medium of instructions from 2nd –12th grade.

Language of Instruction

Jan 25, 1905

*1905-1913English was to be the main language of instruction

Linquistic Policy

Oct 25, 1915

*1915-1921Faulkner linguistic policy, reincorporating Spanish as the language of instruction Commissioner Paul G. Miller- Spanish was the medium of instructions from 1st – 4th grade. In 5th grade it was ½ in Spanish and ½ in English. From 6th – 12th grade

Dr. Jose Padin

Oct 25, 1934

1934-1937Commissioner Dr. Jose Padin- Spanish was the medium of instruction from 1st- 8th grade. In 7th and 8th grade 90 minutes were dedicated to the teaching of English. From 9th- 12 grade classes were all taught in English.

Dr. Jose Gallardo

Oct 25, 1937

1937-1945Commissioner Dr. Jose Gallardo- Both English and Spanish were used as media of instruction in all grades.

Rafael Arjona Siaca

Oct 25, 1946

1946-1947
Rafael Arjona Siaca presented Senate bill 51 to make Spanish the teaching language

Mariano Villaronga

Oct 25, 1947

1947-1950Commissioner Mariano Villaronga- Spanish becomes the medium of instruction. The English Program as known today was created then.
Commissioner Mariano Villaronga settled the changing language policies in 1948 by proclaiming the teaching of English as a second language as a subject and the use of Spanish as the language of instruction

Bilingual Education Law

Oct 25, 1968

1968United States signs the bilingual Education Law or Title VII signed by President Johnson

Funds

Oct 25, 1970

1970Funds for bilinguals programs are solicited and address to students who return from the United States

Expansion of Bilingual Programs

Oct 25, 1972

1972-1976
Expansion of Bilingual Programs take increases in the United States.Implanted in Puerto Rico under the government of the Popular Democratic Party bilingual projects Padre Rufo School and Pope John XXIII.

United States Congress

Oct 25, 1978

1978
United States Congress authorized Bilingual Education Programs to focus on learning Spanish to benefit immigrant students returning to the educational public system.

Department of Education

Oct 25, 1980

1980-1984
Bilingual Educational Programs were transferred to the Department of Education English Program

Bill 857

Oct 25, 1986

1986On April 15, 1986 Bill 857 was filed in which called for making Spanish the official language of Puerto Rico

Educational Reform

Oct 25, 1988

1988-1992
"Educational Reform" undertaken to revise and update the entire curriculum in the Department of InstructionIsland's legislature voted to repeal Puerto Rico's official bilingualism and replace it with Spanish as the sole official language (Governor Hernandez Colon) Law Number 4, April 5, 1991 “Spanish Only” Legislation approved by the Popular Political Part

Autonomy of Blingual Programs

Oct 25, 1993

1993Bilingual Education Projects are autonomous.

Dr. Pedro Rosello

Oct 25, 1997

1997Puerto Rico's legislature reinstated the policy of official bilingualism by Governor Pedro Rosello and bilingual programs became autonomous.

President Bush

Oct 25, 2002

2002The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, signed into law by President Bush on Jan. 8, 2002,

Governor Fortuno

Oct 25, 2012

2012Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuño has proposed an ambitious plan for the Island promoting and implementing bilingual programs at public schools to teach all courses in English instead of Spanish.