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House approves 14-school STEAM pilot after debate over funding and oversight
Summary
The Puerto Rico House on April 3 approved House Bill 334 to create a 14-school STEAM pilot program (two schools per education region). Supporters said the measure will prepare students for high-demand fields; critics pressed for a public hearing and clearer funding sources. The bill passed 51-0.
The Puerto Rico House of Representatives approved House Bill 334 on April 3, 2025, establishing a pilot program to create 14 STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) schools across the island, with two schools planned per each education region. The final vote on the floor was 51 in favor, zero against.
Supporters described the bill as an investment in workforce development and educational equity. "Este proyecto es una inversión en nuestra gente," said Representative Tatiana Pérez Ramírez, the bill sponsor and president of the House Education Commission, during her remarks advocating for the measure. She and other backers said the pilot would include curriculum aligned with labor-market needs and partnerships with universities and private employers for internships and hands-on learning.
Opponents and some members of the minority caucus did not dispute the concept but pressed for more procedural safeguards and fiscal clarity. Representative Figueroa Acevedo, describing himself as an educator, requested a public hearing and asked for explicit answers about funding, student…
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