agency divides itself into areas, including the area of Projects Educational Transformation, which includes the island's Specialized Schools Unit (UnEE, for its initials in Spanish). These schools are Magnet schools which specialize in certain materials and have higher requirements for admission than other public schools. Many well recognized schools such as CROEM and University Gardens High School are UnEE schools. Montessori Schools The department has an autonomous program run by the Auxiliary Secretariat of Montessori Education (SAEM, for its initials in Spanish). As of 2021, 47 schools with 13,500 students have implemented this style of teaching. The Instituto Nueva Escuela, the only institution accredited by the American Montessori Society on the island, has an alliance with the program to help create educational material. School uniforms The department formerly required all students to wear school uniforms and only disallowed them for medical exemptions. In 2020 the department indicated any single colored t-shirt, polo or button shirt is acceptable. Public schools are prohibited from requiring a specific school uniform and as a result the purchase of school clothing is open to the free market. These changes would be implemented from the 2021–2022 academic year. Secretaries The Department of education's secretary is nominated by the governor of Puerto Rico and confirmed by the Senate. References External links Digital library of the Puerto Rico Department of Education (in Spanish) Department Of Education Executive departments of the government of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico State departments of education of the United States Government agencies established in 1900 1900 establishments in Puerto Rico