Secretary of Education of Puerto Rico

Part of a series on the
Executive branch of the
government of Puerto Rico
Office of the Governor
Chief of Staff
Cabinet
Departments
Finances
Processes & protocols
Other branches
Part of a series on
Education in Puerto Rico
Primary and secondary school
Higher education
Non-profit organizations

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      r: cnlacklibc>e-9: cntUxsrstyl_Puerc>ty l0" hr8teyteourt-colora- ass="nowrapdaAar/le="Popn"htt2rt-md-co;backgro-6t-coibc>e-e>>c2t-coiltUl" style="borlen lki%2FNew_Propecror mw-no-invt"border: cnlA%2htt2rt-me>e2diyrror mw-nolA%2hyrrorteur/owrap">necro2diym/edu;er: cnlt_ireF"Unvt"border:deo.wikh/nlsoAAop#oa1Fns- ass="nowre/EPropececror "Unvcoss="leg th/nlcns=Fo ass=": cntUa-: cnlt_ireF"Unv Tl="n"eyteouronlt_ireBcnltscno-invt"bordere aeF"Unvt"border:deo.wikh/nlsoAAop#oa1Fns- ass="nowre/EPropececror "Unvcoss="leg th/nlcns=Fo ass=": cntUa-: cnlt_ireF"Unv T "Une=https%3%2Fi%2FNeittpsrtehdM/nlcns=Fo ass=": cntUa-: cnlt_ireF"Unv T Aerc>te3%2Fi%#omnt_irtopec/iuee7ktmnlco;ba;necrd"Unvt"border:detBteh":deo.wepd:h lder: cne d lder: cnlrtp#oa1F>>c"vncnl"zeltobc>e-9: coF>>cReft ldemnepdeosedtF wrtbordera-er:detBteh":deoar/owrapdan"Unv2rtbmnltshop7kth lderSh1Foorlen l>ncnl"zeltobc>e-9lBt- ass=ocoh":deoar/owrapdan"Unv2rtbmnltshop7kteltocnspAAtRyens=Fos1ltshop7kth lder d/conp7ktnv2rtbMmrCr "U-6eh/Eec2op7lt=FoscnshreF" ocReft ldemnepderBop7lsntUa-:ie-9lBt->ncnl"zeltobc>e-9lBt- ass=ocoh":deoar/owrapdan"Unv2rtbmnltshoi"Unv2rt>boF>>);:detBte/>boFtvn