Statistics Institute to offer free virtual course for students and teachers in Puerto Rico

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Statistics Institute steps up oversight of agencies and municipalities failing to appoint representatives to the Statistics Coordination Committee

39.7% of municipalities and 14.8% of executive branch agencies are currently non-compliant

The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (Institute) has intensified its oversight of agencies, public entities, and municipalities that have failed to fulfill their duty to appoint a representative to the Statistics Coordination Committee (CCE). As part of this effort, the Institute has published Special Report 2027-01, which identifies 16 executive branch agencies and entities, as well as 31 municipalities, that remained non-compliant as of August 31, 2026, despite requests and follow-ups made since January. These entities must complete their appointments immediately or face further findings, potential administrative fines, and other legal actions.

Under the Institute’s organic law, the Statistics Coordination Committee serves as the government’s advisory, coordinating, and participatory body for Puerto Rico’s Statistical Production Service. This body is responsible for ensuring the flow and continuity of statistical data and information, resolving issues regarding access to such data, and proposing solutions to problems related to the operation of statistical units. Furthermore, the Statistics Coordination Committee Regulations stipulate that, upon request by the Institute’s Executive Directorate, the head of each government entity must fulfill the duty of appointing the CCE member who will represent that entity on the Committee.

Special Report 2027-01 shows that 85.2% of executive branch agencies and public entities are in compliance. Conversely, the compliance rate for municipalities is lower, at 60.3%. Meanwhile, 14.8% of executive branch agencies and public entities are non-compliant, as are 39.7% of municipalities.

“Compliance with CCE appointments is an essential requirement, as it ensures that Puerto Rico has access to complete, reliable, and universally accessible statistics. For this reason, since the beginning of 2026, the Institute has conducted an extraordinary campaign to promote and monitor compliance. Special Report 2027-01 on CCE appointments reflects a considerable increase in designations, as previously less than 50% of agencies had appointments and very few municipalities had designated representatives. Despite this progress, the report also shows that there are still agencies in non-compliance, and, in particular, many municipalities that have yet to meet this requirement,” stated Dr. Orville M. Disdier, Executive Director of the Institute of Statistics.

Details regarding which entities and municipalities are non-compliant (having failed to meet the appointment requirement) can be found in Section 3 of Special Report 2027-01. Additionally, Section 2 lists the executive branch entities and municipalities that are in compliance (having met the appointment requirement).  

Agencies and municipalities that have already fulfilled their CCE appointment requirements do not need to take any further action at this time. However, those that are non-compliant must immediately complete and submit the appointment form (FormularioDesignaciónCCE-31-10-2025) to Dr. Idania Rodríguez Ayuso, the Institute’s Deputy Executive Director (idania.rodriguez@estadisticas.pr), with a copy to Jacobo Orenstein Cardona, the Institute’s Executive Assistant (jacobo.orenstein@estadisticas.pr).

“We urge all executive branch agencies and entities, as well as all municipalities that remain non-compliant, to take immediate action to avoid further findings and potential fines,” added Disdier.

You can access the full report at: Special report on the compliance of agencies and municipalities with appointments to the Statistics Coordination Committee - 2027-01.

Press Release

Lack of people certified in libraries to provide technological assistance to people with disabilities

The data comes from a study carried out by the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.

According to the report of the study on inclusive services and technological assistance in libraries in Puerto Rico by the Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico, 83% of the participating libraries do not have people certified in technological assistance to people with disabilities. Similarly, almost 40% of libraries indicated that they do not have computers or electronic equipment required to comply with a technological assistance program for people with disabilities.

The main objective of Law No. 63 of 2011 is to establish the Inclusive Library Services System for Technological Assistance in all libraries in Puerto Rico. In the same way, this law orders the government to “collect annual statistical data on Inclusive Library Services for Technological Assistance”. Since its approval, the government has not been able to fully comply with this mandate. It is for this reason that the Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico, in collaboration with the Technological Assistance Program of the University of Puerto Rico (PRATP), designed a collection system and a set of data so that the Government of Puerto Rico has the capacity to collect, analyze and disseminate data on the implementation of this law.

The data presented correspond to the calendar year 2019 and includes a sample of the libraries of the University of Puerto Rico system, private universities, higher education institutions and municipalities. This is the first report that Puerto Rico has made on statistics related to the implementation of Law No. 63 of 2011

“As a society we must and must guarantee all people access to education and information, and people with disabilities cannot be discriminated against. This study allows us, in addition to complying with the law, to determine where we should make the necessary adjustments to meet the access to information needs of people with disabilities,” said Dr. Orville M. Disdier, lead author of the study and acting executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.

Here are some of the study's most salient findings:

• A total of 36 libraries completed the questionnaire, the largest of them from private universities (39%).
• 36% of participating libraries do not have a plan to implement Act No. 63.
• Most (83%) of participating libraries reported that they do not have people certified in technological assistance.
• Only 8% of participating libraries indicated that the administration has plans to provide training on the use of technological assistance programs and equipment.
• Nearly 40% of participating libraries indicated that they do not have computers or electronic equipment required to comply with a technological assistance program for people with disabilities.
• Although 67% of participating libraries claimed that their library meets the requirements established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding the accessibility of physical spaces for people with disabilities, all indicated that they do not have official certification for these purposes.
• Among the reasons that participating libraries established for not complying with Act No. 63 of 2011 are: Lack of financial resources, lack of guidance, lack of support from the administration and lack of human resources.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity tasked with coordinating the government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and accessible quickly and universally. To access this report or to learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

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Contacts:

Idia M. Martinez, R-28

787-603-3200

Lourdes Burgos, R-27

787-562-2932

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