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Some New Puerto Rican Students Who Came To Florida After Maria Have Returned Home

Photo courtesy of OCPS.

Not all displaced students from Puerto Rico who enrolled in central Florida schools have stayed.

Orange County Schools said 2,238 students from Puerto Rico are currently enrolled. They came after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Students enroll and then withdraw as families figure out living situations. Another 1,185 new Puerto Rican students have left the district this school year.

Englewood Elementary Principal Alex Reyes said he’s heard many of them have gone back to the island.

“Because that’s what they know and that’s what they’re comfortable with, they are a tight community back on the island so they want to be with their families. The families that I have spoken to here, for the most part they missed what they had there,” said Reyes.

He said of the families that have stayed, often it’s because their parents have found jobs.

Some displaced Puerto Ricans have testified to the Orange County Commission that they’re having a hard time with apartment application processes.

The Osceola school district said it has had about 2,700 displaced students from Puerto Rico enroll since September. 1,900 are still with that district.
 

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