Pilot program proposed to integrate pre-kinder into public education system.

Sen. Jeison Rosa Ramos (Facebook via Jeison Rosa Senador Mayagüez-Aguadilla)

By THE STAR STAFF

As part of Early Childhood Week, Sen. Jeison Rosa Ramos filed a measure on Thursday proposing the creation of a pilot program to integrate pre-kindergarten into the public education system in Puerto Rico as part of a strategy to strengthen early childhood education.

Senate Bill 1178 establishes a model of gradual implementation in public schools, with the aim of ensuring a structured transition to the elementary level and promoting the comprehensive development of children from an early age.

“Access to quality education is crucial for the academic and social development of our children,” the District IV (Mayagüez-Aguadilla) senator said. “With this bill, we seek to lay the foundations for a more robust, equitable, and well-planned public policy from the earliest years of life.”

The bill stipulates that the Department of Education will design and implement the pilot program, including curriculum, school selection criteria, staff training and ongoing evaluation mechanisms. It also promotes coordination with existing programs such as Head Start and other early childhood initiatives.

“This is not an isolated initiative, but an effort to integrate and strengthen existing resources, avoiding duplication and ensuring that every child has access to educational opportunities from a critical stage of their development,” Rosa Ramos added.

The measure also includes the periodic evaluation of the program and the eventual expansion of the model to more schools, subject to the results obtained and the availability of resources.