| Sumario: | In the international literature there is a debate about whether an increase in public investment in public education is always accompanied by an improvement in academic achievement. There is a consensus that the investment made in supplies and equipment does positively impact academic achievement. This work analyzes the budget data of the Puerto Rico Department of Education (DE) during the fiscal years 2018 to 2020. The study found that the DE reduced its expenditure on supplies and equipment during the reference period, while it increased its administrative staff. As a result, the cost per student in the public-school program increased from 2018 to 2020, according to data from both the DE and the Puerto Rico Office of Management and Budget (Oficina de Gerencia y Presupuesto). This increase was not accompanied by improvement in academic achievement, as measured by the standardized META tests. In fact, the academic achievement of DE schools is below that of other jurisdictions worldwide that make a similar investment per student. This international comparison was made using the results of PISA tests and the cost per student, which is shown in international databases that include Puerto Rico. This uniformity in the data allowed for an even comparison of academic achievement and cost per student by jurisdiction. It is concluded that it is necessary to provide the DE with financial resources, but it is also necessary to change the current appointment process to recruit better managers and to improve management practices.
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