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Six months after Maria, DCPS prepares for more students as Puerto Ricans adjust to Jacksonville

Puerto Ricans have left the island in droves, after Hurricane Maria and Irma before that.

Some experts are calling it an exodus.

Tuesday marked six months since Maria hit and left the entire island in a state of emergency.

Florida is, by far, the state that has received the most Puerto Ricans, many of who are now calling Jacksonville home.

The river city has offered them warmth and stability, which is exactly what they need right now.

Julio Robles appreciates the welcome.

He’s lived in Jacksonville for about two months.

“I’ve been able to better myself and help my family too,” said Robles, in Spanish.

So far, things have been going well for him.

Living in Jacksonville is a major improvement from spending months with no electricity and standing in long lines just to get ice.

“I lived it in the flesh. The truth is, it was a very ugly experience,” said Robles.

Robles is one of the thousands of Puerto Ricans who left the island following Hurricane Maria.

Since Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, they don’t need a visa to move to the mainland.

As the island recovers, many families are making the tough choice to leave.

For the last six months, Ingrid Carias, director of Duval County English for Speakers of Other Languages and World Languages, has seen an influx of families enrolling their children in local schools.

“We pulled up the data today and we have 310 students. From Puerto Rico, alone we have 200 students,” said Carias.

That number is expected to rise.

Carias said the district is already preparing.

“The kids already went through an extremely disturbing experience so we want to make sure the process will be seamless,” said Carias.

Robles said he’s adjusting. It helps that his brothers live here too.

He said, for now Jacksonville is home but he hopes to one day return to his beloved island.

“It’s like we say: No matter where we go, we’ll always be Puerto Rican,” said Robles.