Puerto Rico | National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)

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Puerto Rico is working to ensure its schools are safe and supportive. This page features school climate information for Puerto Rico, including a list of grants the State and its communities have received; State discipline and bullying policies; data for a selection of indicators; related news articles; and grantee highlights demonstrating community efforts.

Grants Received

State Grant Program

Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law in 2015. The Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) program falls under ESSA, subpart 1 of Title IV, Part A. The SSAE program is intended to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and local communities to provide all students with access to a well-rounded education; improve school conditions for student learning; and improve the use of technology to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students. States receive funds in the form of block grants and then fund local education agencies. To learn more, visit the T4PA Center website.

Institution of Higher of Education

Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration

In 2022, Carlos Albizu University received a Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant. This university is using this 5-year grant to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health services providers for employment in schools and local educational agencies (LEAs). The goal of this program is to expand the pipeline of high-quality, trained providers to address the shortages of mental health service professionals in schools served by high-need LEAs. To find out more about this program, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/28/2022-25824/applications-for-new-awards-mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program.

Selected Indicators

Indicator 1: Threatened or Injured with a Weapon on School Property

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Indicator 1: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported they Had Been Threatened or Injured with a Weapon on School Property One Or More Times (for example, a gun, knife, or club during the 12 months before the survey)

This U.S. territory did not participate in data collection in 2009. This U.S. territory did not have data for this indicator in 2021.

Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/results.htm. Accessed on July 20, 2023.

Indicator 1: Threatened or Injured with a Weapon on School Property
Year	Puerto Rico	US
2011	4.9	7.4
2013	4.1	6.9
2015	4.7	6.0
2017	7.5	6.0
2019	3.0	7.4

Indicator 2: Involved in Physical Fight on School Property

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Indicator 2: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported That They Were in a physical fight on school property (one or more times during the 12 months before the survey)

This U.S. territory did not participate in data collection in 2009. This U.S. territory did not have data for this indicator in 2015 or 2021.

Indicator 2: Involved in Physical Fight on School Property
Year	Puerto Rico	US
2011	11.6	12.0
2013	9.3	8.1
2017	13.1	8.5
2019	7.2	8.0

Indicator 3: Offered, Sold or Given Illegal Drugs on School Property

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Indicator 3: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported That They Were Offered, Sold, Or Given An Illegal Drug By Someone On School Property

This U.S. territory did not participate in data collection in 2009.

Indicator 3: Offered, Sold or Given Illegal Drugs on School Property
Year	Puerto Rico	US
2011	18.7	25.6
2013	18.2	22.1
2015	18.6	21.7
2017	22.8	19.8
2019	16.2	21.8
2021	9.2	22.2

Indicator 4: Seriously Considered Attempting Suicide

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Indicator 4: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported that they Seriously considered attempting suicide (during the 12 months before the survey)

This U.S. territory did not participate in data collection in 2009.

Indicator 4: Seriously Considered Attempting Suicide
Year	Puerto Rico	US
2011	13.1	15.8
2013	14.3	17.0
2015	12.3	17.7
2017	17.1	17.2
2019	12.4	18.8
2021	12.1	13.9

Indicator 5: Bullied On School Property

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Indicator 5: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported Being Bullied On School Property During the 12 Months Before the Survey

This U.S. territory did not participate in data collection in 2009.

Indicator 5: Bullied On School Property
Year	Puerto Rico	US
2011	12.7	20.1
2013	10.6	19.6
2015	10.0	20.2
2017	17.1	19.0
2019	9.2	19.5
2021	5.0	15.0

Indicator 6: Reported That Their Mental Health Was Most Of The Time Or Always Not Good

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Indicator 6: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported That Their Mental Health Was Most Of The Time Or Always Not Good (Poor Mental Health Includes Stress, Anxiety, and Depression) During the 30 Days Before the Survey

Data for this indicator are not available before 2021.

Indicator 6: Reported That Their Mental Health Was Most Of The Time Or Always Not Good
Year	Puerto Rico	US
2021	17.0	29.3