Puerto Rico teachers turn to Amazon wishlists to equip classrooms amid supply shortages

Hundreds of teachers in Puerto Rico are publishing Amazon wishlists on their social media accounts to receive school materials that the Department of Education fails to provide. The phenomenon, which has gone viral in the weeks leading up to the start of classes, exposes a reality educators have been denouncing for years: the public system does not supply what is needed to teach ¹.

Among the educators who have adopted this strategy are Maricarmen "Mary" Melendez, an English teacher in Ponce known on social media as "Maestra Boricua," and Maria de Lourdes "Lulu" Miranda, a history teacher and singer, also from Ponce. Both share their lists requesting everything from colored pencils and printer ink to fans and manipulative materials for special education students ¹.

"There is a system that doesn't supply us with everything we need," one of the educators told El Nuevo Dia, summing up the frustration of a teaching workforce that year after year spends out of pocket so their students have the tools to learn ¹.

The context: a back-to-school season under pressure

The 2026-2027 school semester started on August 6 in approximately 850 public schools with about 225,595 students, according to El Vocero ². But the start was far from smooth. The Department of Education faces a $1.2 billion budget cut that has resulted in reductions to security and maintenance staff at schools ². On top of that, seven municipalities in the northern zone are under water rationing due to the Carraizo reservoir crisis, forcing the DE to acquire 200 cisterns to supply schools and provide disposable utensils in school cafeterias ².

Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos Pares acknowledged the challenges but assured that "in most cases schools will continue functioning" and that special brigades are addressing hygiene needs at affected schools ².

Meanwhile, recent data from Metro Puerto Rico reveals that the education system shows mixed signals: while passing grades increased and CRECE test results reflected greater proficiency, first grade has the highest non-promotion rate in the system at 7.5% -- more than double the 3.05% average ³. This means 1,088 first-grade students were not promoted, and no summer remedial program exists for elementary grades ³.

What this means for you

If you are a parent or guardian, this affects you directly. Your children's teachers are likely spending their own money to buy materials that should already be in the classroom. Amazon wishlists are a concrete way the community can help -- for the price of a coffee, you can buy a pack of colored pencils for an entire classroom.

If you are a teacher, you are not alone. This movement shows that the community responds when it sees real need. Publishing your list is not begging -- it is making visible a system failure that deserves public attention.

For students, especially those in special education who need specific manipulative materials, the difference between having or not having these resources can determine their academic progress for the entire year.

How to take action / Checklist

1. If you want to donate, search Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok for hashtags like #MaestraBoricua, #MaestrosPR, #RegresaAClases2026 to find teachers' lists in your municipality.
2. Prioritize special education teachers who need specific manipulative materials that the DE rarely supplies.
3. If you are a teacher and want to create your list, go to Amazon.com, navigate to "Lists" and create a wishlist with essential items like ink, paper, pencils, fans, and art materials.
4. Share your list on social media with a photo of your classroom and a description of what you teach and how many students you have.
5. Verify shipping addresses so items go directly to the school, not your personal home.
6. Contact the Asociacion de Maestros de Puerto Rico to learn about other resources and support programs available to educators.
7. Check if your employer has donation programs or fund-matching for education.

What comes next

As the semester progresses, pressure on school resources will only increase. With water rationing affecting municipalities in the northern zone and budget cuts limiting maintenance and security staff, teachers will continue absorbing the system's shortfalls ². The Asociacion de Maestros de Puerto Rico could formalize island-wide material collection campaigns ¹.

It remains to be seen whether the Department of Education will respond to the viral phenomenon with a concrete plan to improve material distribution. For now, the teachers' message is clear: as long as the system falls short, the community has the power to fill the gap -- one Amazon wishlist at a time.

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Sources ¹ El Nuevo Dia, "Maestros recurren a listas de Amazon para recibir materiales escolares" (August 9, 2026) ² El Vocero, "Inicia semestre escolar en 850 escuelas con retos por racionamiento y recortes presupuestarios" (August 6, 2026) ³ Metro Puerto Rico, "Sin verano remedial: Primer grado concentra la mayor cantidad de estudiantes rezagados" (August 10, 2026)